Billow
by coffeeonthepatio
Summary: Snarky Severus Snape is forced back to Hogwarts five years after the fall of the Dark Lord by a desperate Headmistress McGonagall. Transfiguration Professor Granger is less than impressed. Bickering, fights and lots of points lost. Eventual HG/SS.
1. Prologue

**_Disclaimer: All characters are property of J.K. Rowling and others. Not mine. No money is being made with this but is purely for my pleasure, and probably the pleasure of my readers._**

**_A/N: This is my first Harry Potter fic, so please be gentle and review in abundance! I know that there are about a billion HG/SS fics out there and I never intended plagiarism. Please let me know if you feel that you're ideas are used in my story - it's certainly not done on purpose._**

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A small owl pecked nervously on one of the windows of Headmistress McGonagall. She knew that owl and she opened the window rapidly to let it in. It flew immediately to her desk and lifted its leg. Untying the scroll, she searched for an owl treat in one of the drawers of her desk and gave it to the owl, earning and affectionate hoot. She stroked its head with her fingertip and took a look at the parchment. The familiar, spidery scrawl made her smile.

_McGonagall._

_Safe and sound._

_SS_

Even the brevity, the tangible rudeness of the note was so like him. But at least, she knew he was safe. Somewhere. She understood that he didn't want to be found, but at least she had a way to contact him, should the need arise. And the need would arise, Merlin's beard, it had arrived already. But no matter what everyone thought, Minerva McGonagall knew her former colleague Severus Snape. He hated to be rushed, and he hated to be forced to do anything – having been the prey of two masters for too long. Way too long. She understood the need for him to be away, to be invisible for a while, when in actual fact, still half the wizarding world thought him dead, with the other half not believing the rumours that he was still alive and had been seen on more than one occasion, striding through Diagon Alley with his robes billowing. Not even those who had seen him had believed it. After all, the boy-who-lived-twice had reported – on more than one occasion – that Nagini had gotten him and that he had stopped breathing after giving him his memories. Those, that had turned the evil bat of the dungeons into a war hero, Merlin First Class. Snape had never come to receive it, and yet, Minerva McGonagall knew that it was somewhere amongst his possessions now, having given it to him herself.

She had in fact, that dreary November morning in her office, tried to pin it on him but he wouldn't have that, instead, he had stuffed it in one of his many pockets, accepting a cup of tea gruffly and told her that he would seek sanctuary somewhere else. Minerva understood. He wanted to get away from prying eyes and ears, curious glances, Rita Skeeters of the world who wanted to write his biography, away from his status, away from people who wanted to tell him how great he was. Not that he said that. No, Severus Snape, Potions Master Extraordinaire would never do such a thing, but she knew. Merlin, she had known him for most of his life – all of his life, to be precise. Eileen, seeking her sanctuary at Hogwarts for a while after little Severus Tobias had been born – only to go back to that vile husband of hers weeks later. But Minerva knew him inside out, and when Eileen had died, in his 4th year, she had held the inconsolable boy in her arms in the privacy of her quarters. One look at him that grey afternoon told him that she was spot on, once more priding herself on being able to judge him so well. That judgement had only failed her once, and that had almost proved to be fatal. For him, for Potter, for the entire sane wizarding world. Never again would she make that mistake.

That had been over five years ago. She knew he was moving from place to place, never staying long somewhere, constantly on the move, but always sending the same owl with the same message. But somehow, the little owl never left until she had written him something. Grinning, she picked up a fresh parchment and dipped her quill in some royal blue ink.

In that exact moment, there was a knock on her door and Minerva jumped. She scowled at the large drop of ink on the parchment and rather huffed a 'come in'.

She looked up and saw one of the newest additions to the Hogwarts stuff standing in her office. Hermione Granger, Transfiguration Mistress and more her right hand than her deputy could ever be, ever since she had come to teach the year before.

"Hermione.", Minerva looked up over her square spectacles. "Sit down."

Hermione nodded and smiled weakly. "Thank you."

"Tea?", the Headmistress asked, and upon seeing her younger colleague nodding, she conjured two cups. "What can I do for you?"

"Who's owl is that?", Hermione squinted at the small bird.

"One of the school's.", Minerva fibbed.

"Ah. Uh, that so-called Potions Master had three first years sent into the infirmary."

"Again?", Minerva groaned. "I don't know how that Henry Fiesco ever got his degree."

"Won it, probably.", Hermione muttered, blushing slightly.

"You might be spot on with that one.", Minerva chuckled good naturedly. "Are the children alright?"

"Just some spots, so yes. But…", she hesitated.

"But?", the Headmistress raised her eyebrows.

"Your deputy…"

"Mills? What has he done now?", she groaned again.

"Was also in the hospital wing.", Hermione said softly.

Minerva raised her eyebrows quite high. "What happened?"

"From what his 7th years say, they were practicing duelling during Defence and he was hit by a stray hex. He's been unconscious since and he looks quite odd."

"Why? What does he look like? Wait, you said 'was' in the hospital wing."

"Poppy brought him to St Mungo's. She has no idea what it might be.", Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

Minerva grumbled and pulled her specs from her nose and put them none-too gently on the desk. "So we need a substitute?"

"Poppy said yes, most likely."

"Good. I'll go and look, thanks Hermione.", she replied warily and with a wave of her hand, dismissed the young Transfiguration teacher.

Hermione nodded to herself and left the office as quickly as she had come, not noticing that the older woman picked up some fresh parchment and began to scribble on it with a determined expression on her face.

_Severus,_

_Contact me immediately. It's urgent._

_Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

With a sly grin, she rolled it up and tied it to the leg of the little owl. "Peck him until he replies.", she whispered softly as she let the bird out of the window again, looking after it as it flew away.

.


	2. I

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_A/N: I forgot to mention this: I try to keep this canon-compliant, will however ignore the, in my opinion, overly sappy epilogue. _**

**_._**

An hour later, Minerva was just adding the finishing touches to some paperwork for the Ministry of Magic, she was startled out of her concentration by the fireplace lighting up green, and a second later, Severus Snape stood before her, cursing under his breath.

"Do you never clean that fireplace, woman?", he asked tartly.

"No one ever comes through here. It was disconnected.", Minerva replied, still shocked to see him standing in the middle of his office, in his black trousers, black overcoat and black dragon hide boots. No robes today.

"I reconnected it when I was last here."

"Five years ago!", she exclaimed brusquely. "And you never saw fit to inform me?"

"No."

"Merlin.", she muttered, shaking her head, her square specs perching precariously on the tip of her nose.

"If you keep up that shaking, your glasses will fall straight into that infamous tin. Full of Ginger Newts I presume?", his tone was sarcastic and he found himself still standing just in front of the fireplace, a situation he was fast to rectify. "Albus always asked me to sit down."

She snorted and motioned towards a chair. "How have you been?", she asked, trying to sound more gentle.

"Just as I wrote. I don't know why I keep doing it when you order me back here."

"I didn't order you."

"Contact me immediately. It's urgent.", he mocked, trying to copy her slight Scottish brawl.

"Oh yes, that.", Minerva put a greedy hand into the tartan tin and picked out a Ginger Newt. "Are you sure you don't want one?"

"Come to the point. It can't be that urgent if you have time to nibble those infernal biscuits.", he growled.

"Tea?"

"No, the point, madam.", he was getting impatient, having thought it was a real emergency. He had left a bubbling cauldron full of a new potion he was developing at his temporary lab.

"Ah, the point. Do you know Fiesco?"

"Henry or Richard?"

"Henry?"

"Left Hogwarts in 1988, catastrophe in Charms, managed to get an A in his potion NEWTS. I think Dagworth-Granger accepted him as an apprentice. Though the why is beyond me.", Severus recited from memory.

"Amazing.", Minerva smiled. "Do you know him personally? Other than as a pupil?"

"No."

"He sent three first years into the hospital wing just earlier today."

"One wouldn't expect less.", he sneered. "Why were they brought to infirmary?"

"A case of Swelling Potion gone bad, I think. But it makes it the fifth accident in his class this month. And…"

"Today is the 12th, yes, I see.", he looked straight at his former colleague. "Deflating potion."

"They've been taking care of."

"Then why bring me here?", he asked, his anger rising. He stood up from his chair and leaned over the desk, looking down on her. He could smell the gingery scent of the biscuits and the citrussy of her Lady Grey tea.

"Oh, that was just for my information.", she stared up at him over her specs, her eyebrows raised slightly. The former Potions Master knew the levels her eyebrows would take, slightly lifted, like the were now, didn't mean danger, meaning an eruption of her famous temper.

"If you have nothing of interest to say to me, I'll leave and believe me, I will not be coming back, no matter how much you write it's an emergency. And I won't send Melete back.", he hissed, looming still over her.

"I wondered about the owl's name.", Minerva replied quickly, before she fixed him with her gaze. "Burgess Mills is in St Mungo's."

"And who might that be?"

"Our Defence teacher."

Severus groaned and stepped away from the desk, striding to one of the windows. He looked out before he spoke softly. "And now you're trying to find a replacement and I'm just the first person who popped into your head."

"Yes.", the headmistress confessed. "Old position, Head of Slytherin, your old rooms or new ones if you like, the Defence position and you could keep an eye on Fiesco."

"There's nothing in it for me.", he answered with an air of finality and stepped back to the fireplace. "I have a potion brewing and seeing that this is not an emergency…"

"Severus, please.", Minerva stood up quickly and moved around the desk with an agility of a woman 30 years her junior only to grab hold of his arm. "Severus, the school is…it's not the same anymore. It's alright in most other subjects, but Potions and Defence are catastrophes."

"I don't see why that would make a change. At least in Defence against the Dark Arts. It hasn't been taught properly in decades.", Severus' thin lips grew even thinner.

"Except the one year you taught…", Minerva mumbled, knowing full well he had heard her but he simply sneered and grabbed a handful of Floo Powder.

"Good bye, Min…", he began to say when the door to the office was flung open and a flushed, excited, agitated, wild-haired Hermione Granger stood in the door frame. She panted heavily and clutched her sides.

"Minerva…", she stopped as she looked up. "Professor Snape.", she choked.

He simply sneered, loved seeing the surprised expression on her face. He revelled in it, almost. The know-it-all who could never keep her mouth shut was gaping, her mouth hanging wide open.

"What is it, Hermione?", Minerva moved in front of her younger colleague and snapped her fingers in front of her face to bring her out of her astonished puzzlement.

"Ah, the pupils with the Potion accident."

"Yes."

"Spots grown, looking incredibly flat. Poppy Pomfrey gave them the deflating potion and for a while it seemed to be going okay, but then they started looking thinner and, well, I don't know, more flat. It looks horrible. Even Maximus Graham looks like a sheet of paper."

The two women were so focused on the problem on hand that neither noticed Severus dropping the Floo Powder back into the unused pot next to the fireplace and had moved towards them, looking faintly interested.

"What do you mean, flat?", Minerva asked, grabbing her shawl from her chair and wrapping it around herself.

"Flat.", Hermione made a gesture with her hand. "Like a surface."

"Really?"

Hermione nodded. "Poppy said she needed some form of potion but Fiesco has never heard of it and is now researching in the library."

"The idiot.", Severus growled and without even looking at either woman, he strode out of the office.

Hermione and Minerva looked equally stunned. Even his overcoat was billowing slightly.

"He knows the answer, doesn't he?", Minerva asked softly, more herself than Hermione.

"And he'll hold it over everyone's heads for the rest of their lives.", the younger woman replied sarcastically.

_._

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	3. II

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_._**

Severus Snape pushed a pale man out of his way in one of the dungeon corridors. "Get out of my way.", he snapped. "Fiasco."

"Professor Snape.", the resident Potions Master gasped.

"Indeed.", Snape snarled and simply tapped his wand against brick in the wall and an old, wooden door appeared where the bricks, and seemingly solid wall had been. It creaked and moaned in its hinges but opened wide.

"What's that?", the younger man asked.

Snape simply raised his eyebrows and stepped through the door, banging it into the man-who-wanted-to-be-a-Potions-Master's face. He smirked inwardly when he heard a faint rattle on the door. He breathed deeply. He had missed this smell and feel of his private lab here at Hogwarts. Content with himself, and his provisions in case he should ever had to return, he looked around. It was well stocked and clean. With a wave of his wand, he had a copper cauldron standing on a small flame. His coat was folded neatly on a nearby chair with another wave of the dark wand. With a precision and speed that was his own, he had gathered the ingredients and sliced eyes of Newt, crushed dried daisies and prepared a few other things before he concentrated on brewing alone. He knew exactly what had gone wrong with the Potion and why the Deflating hadn't worked. The silliest thing, really.

If the Pufferfish Eyes were added before the diced peppermint roots, the Potion turned vile and caused boils. Nothing too bad, except when one used Deflating Draught to cure it. Then, the drinker did become in fact flat. Even an average Potion Master would have known that.

He cursed under his breath once again, the umpteenth time that day before he added the syrup of Hellebore and stirred 17 times clockwise, then slowly put the sliced eyes of Newts and daisies in, stirred 29 more times, anti-clockwise and with his wand, caused the fire to get warmer and more vicious. Half an hour of seething and he could bring it up to the hospital wing. And it was just a simple antidote to the boils. Then a light swelling potion to counter the Deflating Draught and the children would be round and happy and healthy again. Not that Severus cared. But that idiot Fiesco, the fiasco would let them die and Minerva would be on his throat. Again. And more than all the boils and sores in the world, he wanted to avoid that certain fact.

.

35 minutes later, he stormed into the hospital wing, his overcoat back in place, his face set in his usual sneer. Hermione and Minerva were there, along with Poppy and Fiesco, all seated next to the very flat pupils. He pulled three vials out of his pockets and pompously handed them to Madam Pomfrey.

"There.", he drawled. "All at once. Then they're only flat and a simple, light swelling potion will do the trick. Administered over 24 hours. They should be all fat and rounded again then."

Poppy stammered and earned another sneer from her former colleague.

"Good bye.", Severus added simply and strode out of the infirmary. Before he even reached the first staircase, there were two women tugging on his sleeves.

"You can't leave now!", Minerva screeched.

"Professor Snape…", Hermione's tone sounded almost begging.

"I'm leaving. Kindly let go of my coat.", he drawled, glaring first at the older, then, the younger woman. "On the other hand, it's been years and years since two women were hanging on to me and begged me to do anything.", he smirked.

"Oh please.", Hermione groaned and pulled away from his sleeve rapidly, brushing her hand over her robe as if to clean it from some evil stain.

Minerva simply glared and her eyebrows shot to dangerous heights. "Don't be childish, Severus.", she scolded. "You'll get the supervision of Fiesco.", she offered. "The Deputy Headmaster position, your old rooms, all the ingredients you like."

"Supervision of Fiesco, the fiasco? Why would I want that?", Severus asked, trying to pull his arms from the Headmistress' grasp but she wouldn't let go.

"Because I know you.", McGonagall sneered. "And it would give you great pleasure to boss him around."

Severus scowled. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Fine. My old rooms, the supervision of the Fiasco, I don't want the position of the Deputy Headmaster but I will write my own curriculum for Defence against Dark Arts, will answer to no one but you, won't be Head of Slytherin House, and will not be forced to chaperone any trips to Hogsmeade, any balls you might think of, or any other activity, I will not have to participate at meals and you will not bug me."

Hermione stared at her former teacher, then her gaze dropped to her superior. Minerva's eyebrows had lowered themselves again.

"Fine.", she said coldly. "Will you come to my office to get the paperwork over and done with?"

"Fine.", he replied, his tone just as cold, watching instead the young Transfiguration teacher still trying to clean her hand on her robe, albeit subconsciously. "I'm not contagious, you know?", he drawled and then turned on his heel towards McGonagall's office without looking back once.

Hermione gaped with her mouth hanging wide open. "You'll have to get used to that now, dear.", the Headmistress said softly before following her Defence teacher. It would be an interesting year.

.

**_Thank you all so much for the reviews and the alerts - I'm overwhelmed by how many people want to read this story. I would be even more overwhelmed if you would all review ;-)_**


	4. III

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

**_._**

A week later, former Death Eater, former Potions Master, former spy, former Head of Slytherin House, former Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and former recluse Severus Snape found himself seated in his new, and old chambers in the dungeons. He was mentally preparing himself for his first class the next morning. Fifth years. OWLs. And he knew exactly that they probably wouldn't even know half of the things they should know. Mills had been no help – he couldn't even say his own name. He was simply rocking back and forth in his hospital bed in St Mungo's. Severus had visited him quietly, without telling anyone. He hated to be unprepared but after looking at the infernal man's notes and seeing that he himself was no fount of information either, he feared he would have to simply do what he thought was best. And – Merlin forbid – listen to some pupils. Not that he wanted that, but overtaking from an incapacitated moron would have to make him do exactly that. In some ways, at least.

He poured himself some Ogden's and settled in one of his old armchairs, brought over from storage, with a book on his lap. He had brought all the furniture the day after he had signed the contract. Minerva had wanted to bind him for a couple of years, but he wouldn't hear of it. Until the end of the school year, not sooner and not later. Admitting to himself that he felt content in those chambers, in that castle had been hard. He hadn't even done that now, really. And he certainly would never admit it to someone else but somewhere inside, he knew that this was his real home. More real than Spinner's End, more real than anywhere else he had been.

He gulped down the rest of the Firewhiskey and retreated to one of the doors into his bedroom, warding it after he had carefully closed the door. His past had shaped him after all.

.

The Headmistress and her unofficial Deputy, Professor Hermione Granger walked into the Great Hall for breakfast together, curious whether Severus would be there. He had missed dinner the night before – when Minerva McGonagall had announced that he would be taking over the Defence against the Dark Arts classes from Professor Mills. The 7th years and those with older siblings had done their best not to gasp in shock. Not all of them had succeeded. But both the Headmistress and Hermione knew that fear of a teacher, or at least a lot of respect wasn't the worst thing in order to get success and good grades.

"He's not here again, is he?", Hermione asked, looking curiously around the Great Hall and especially scanning the staff table. Professor Flitwick was there, at least she thought so as there were two tiny hands holding a huge Daily Prophet, Madam Hooch was sniggering with Professor Sprout and Professor Sinistra. The rest of the table was empty. Minerva had told all of her teachers that they should keep at least one seat free, the one on the left side, close to the door that led straight to corridor that led straight down the stairs to his quarters or up to the third floor and the library.

"Obviously not.", Minerva replied, sitting down in her chair.

"House Elves?"

"There is one that used to be very attached to Severus."

"Someone can be attached to him?", Hermione snorted.

Minerva shot an admonishing glare to her younger colleague. "Hermione, I know you don't get along with him, and never did, but please try to at least treat him civilly."

"I will if he does.", she muttered.

"I will speak to him.", Minerva replied.

Hermione twitched. "He will never do that."

"Don't underestimate him.", Minerva countered and dug into her porridge.

.

The fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins were seated orderly in their benches, having only heard from Professor Snape through others. They were used to Professor Mills, and he was easy to talk to, and was rather lax on homework and assignments. They all knew that it would probably be different with Professor Snape but nobody was prepared by what hit them.

With a bang, the door opened and closed and in came an overgrown bat, lanky, black hair framing his face, robes billowing behind him, his wand in his hand. He didn't move it much as he strode quickly to the front of the classroom but immediately, writing appeared on the blackboard. In clear, concise, big writing, materialized _Professor Snape_ on the board.

"Defence against the Dark Arts.", he began in a low, silky voice. "is, even though there is, at present no dark wizard at large, one of the basic skills. The spells, jinxes and hexes you will learn in my class will help you defend yourselves but rest assured. If I find anyone of you, using any of the spells, jinxes, and hexes you learn in this classroom outside of the classroom, you will, if you're lucky, lose a massive amount of house points. If you're unlucky, you could die. Or worse, expelled.", he ended his speech, somewhat bemused by the dedication Hermione Granger had shown in her first year. He had heard that snipped when the infamous, so-called Golden Trio had been in their third or fourth year. Ronald Weasly, one of the banes of his existence had sniggered about it. Her made a mental note to somehow let her know that he used her quote. In his special way.

Two girl in the first row stared at him open-mouthed. He knew that he still had the disadvantage of not knowing their names yet. He quickly stepped in front of their desk and their mouths were still hanging open and both wore an odd expression, something akin to admiration – if he'd dare to think that, which he didn't – on their face.

"Names?", he said quietly.

"Mary Fitzgerald.", one of them answered. A plain girl with chin-length blonde hair and watery blue eyes.

"Mary Fitzgerald?", Severus asked back, looming over her like a bird of prey over a mouse.

"Yes.", she whispered, being intimidated by his closeness.

"Yes?", Severus asked again.

"Yes", she replied.

He left it at that. Mills was obviously even worse than Remus Lupin. No manners. Those children had no manners.

"Name?", he asked, looking alertly at the other girl, brown straight long hair and brown eyes.

"Aureliè Miller.", she replied.

"Aureliè Miller?", he couldn't keep the slight mocking tone out of his voice.

"Yes."

"Yes?", he straightened himself and walked back to his desk on the front. His voice grew even lower. He let his eyes wander over the class.

"Miss Fitzgerald, Miss Miller.", for a moment he looked at their robes and the ghost of a smirk crossed over his face when he noticed the Gryffindor badge. "Ten points from both of you for gaping. And a further twenty from each for not knowing how to address a teacher properly."

"But…", someone from another row tried to protest while the two girls had blushed viciously.

"Five points from the next pupil who tries to protest. Five points from anyone who speaks out of turn.", he clarified and the entire class sat stiff. This was very different from Professor Mills. "Now, open your books at page 134 and begin reading. I expect a five foot essay on Shielding Charms by the end of the week. You may start now."

.

By the end of the day, Severus Snape had taken 140 points from Gryffindor, 115 from Hufflepuff, 75 from Ravenclaw, and a surprise, even for himself, 95 from Slytherin. He settled back into his favourite chair and did not know that three floors above him, the Headmistress was fuming.

..


	5. IV

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_._**

After breakfast and before the first lesson, Minerva McGonagall decided that she had time for a friendly chat with Severus Snape. As suspected, he was already in his new office, adjoining the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Good morning, Severus.", she simply said, entering the office without knocking.

"Minerva.", he growled and looked up, his face a mask of neutrality. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit."

"I didn't ask you back to be the greasy git of the dungeons. What were you thinking taking so many house points?"

Severus raised his eyebrows slightly. "As far as I remember, you begged me to come back and even gave me practically everything I asked for. Now you're doubting my teaching methods? You knew what you were getting yourself into, woman."

"Oh please.", Minerva threw her arms in the arm in exasperation. "I know you're not like this."

"It seems I am."

"No, you're not."

"I am."

"Let's be childish, shall we?", Minerva groaned.

Severus simply shrugged.

"Severus, you don't have to be the evil bat anymore. The war's over. You don't have to have the children be afraid of you.", she fixed his dark eyes with hers. "Be honest with yourself. I know that you care about them, probably more than any other teacher here. You didn't even work here and you brewed a potion for the three first years you had never met…"

"Are you saying I'm nice?", he sneered.

"No, I'm saying you're a decent man. Act like one.", she pushed herself up and out of his office before he could react. He leaned back on his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose quickly before he left for the classroom.

.

Hermione waited for the third years at her desk. She liked this class a lot. They were nice and at least half awake. It was always better not to have the first two periods of the day and not the last two. One after the other, the pupils trickled into the room and she greeted them all with a smile. The last two to arrive were two of her best student – Ravenclaw girls, smart as whips. She was only partially stunned when she saw one of the girls, Ophelia Faber, with a tear-stained face.

After everyone had settled, and she had greeted them properly, she looked at the girl curiously.

"Did Professor Trelawny get to you again, Miss Faber? I told you before that she predicts the death of one student in every year and it has never happened."

"Professor Granger, we didn't have Divination.", a class mate interfered.

"No?", Hermione asked. "What then?"

"Defence against the Dark Arts.", Ophelia replied, hiccupping slightly.

"Professor Snape?"

"Yes.", all of them replied in unison, all of them sounding rather subdued.

Hermione closed her eyes briefly and stifled a sigh. "He is a good teacher."

"He made Ophi cry!", Ophelia's friend, Susanna Garth protested.

The Transfiguration professor had to swallow hard and clenched her fists at her back. She tried to remain calm and give her pupils something to think about. "Professor Snape is a stern teacher, and he sets very high standards. But – he does this to protect you, to prepare you for things about there. It might seem unfair to you now, but he does most of the things he does, even to you, for you.", she lectured, amazed how easily she could fib. She knew Snape had done it for them but that was during a time of war, and mostly for Harry. He had protected him but for what price? "Believe me, he does not mean it. And don't take it personally. You will learn a lot in his class and he might be the best Defence teacher you ever had…"

"Because he was a Death Eater.", someone from the last row piped in.

"A spy, Mister Shacklebolt. Your Uncle should have told you that.", Hermione's patience was waning. She didn't want to defend Snape at this point. He had never returned an owl she had sent him, thanking him.

"Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater.", Ben Shacklebolt said quietly.

"Five points from Ravenclaw, Mister Shacklebolt.", Hermione admonished. "I would have expected better of you."

"But…", he began again.

"One more word and it'll be detention with Mister Filch tonight.", she threatened. She didn't want it, she wanted to tell the child that Severus was still the greasy git he had been years ago, even though Hermione, at first had thought he might have changed. And yet, all the house points, and now the crying girl in her class, let alone his attitude towards her and the other instructors, the complete lack of common courtesies towards anyone and the lack of his appearances anywhere in the school. But making a bright girl cry was the last straw. She had suffered enough under him during her years as his pupil. She would not allow him but treat others this way.

.

Severus sat at his desk, eating a ham sandwich which Duffy, his former house elf had brought him. Duffy, the one who had always brought him Pain Relieving Potion after one of the Dark Lords fun nights and Hangover Potion in the morning when he had revelled in the Firewhiskey too much, who made sure he ate enough and who was incredibly loyal, even when he had been Headmaster. The one who, together with Dobby, a distant cousin, as far as Severus knew, and Kreacher, had lead the House Elves against the Death Eaters because he knew his Master was loyal to the cause.

Snape's lips twitched a little at the memory of how he had hung his ears when he had told the little elf that he was leaving the school and couldn't take him with him and of how his eyes had shone when he had come back and on a whim, had called Duffy's name. He looked at the plate in front of him, full with sandwiches and the glass of pumpkin juice next to it. Duffy had always taken care of him.

Picking up another sandwich, he leaned back in his chair again, closing his eyes while he savoured the taste of the bread and filling. Duffy really made the best sandwiches. And yet, a thought tickled him. McGonagall, that bloody woman. But who better than her knew what he was really like? He had taken points, yes. But not because he liked it but because he knew that his reputation had proceeded him. And he wanted to uphold it. He had never wanted to be a softy like Lupin. Or as far as he could tell, Mills. He wanted them to give their best, pay attention and it was only possible, he thought, by scaring them. And that was what he had done successfully. Maybe, after two or three weeks, he could stop taking so many points and handing out so many detentions. None the day before, sadly, three already today. Before lunch. And one crying girl. He couldn't have known that she would react so badly to a Boggart and that she had become hysterical. And if there was one thing, Severus Snape could not deal with, it was hysterical females.

He groaned inwardly and relaxed, emptying his mind for a moment, but this moment of quiet and peace was interrupted by another person storming into his office. He looked up into a blushed, furious face, bushy hair tied into a tight knot at the back of her head.

Severus groaned for real this time.

"Severus Snape, you git!", Hermione cried before she banged the door and moved quickly to his desk, towering over the sitting Defence Teacher.

_._


	6. V

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

**_._**

Hermione Granger stormed through Hogwarts until she came to an abrupt halt in front of Snape's office door. She decided against knocking and simply stomped into the room.

"Severus Snape, you git!", she shouted at him.

Severus looked at her arrogantly. "Language, Miss Granger, language.", he admonished.

"It's Professor Granger, Mister Snape.", she snapped.

He sneered "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Miss Granger?", his voice dropped to his usual sneer.

"Ophelia Faber, Mister Snape.", Hermione spat. "Third year Ravenclaw."

"The girl with the muggle weapon as a boggart?", Snape asked calmly, faintly interested, even.

"I don't know what her boggart was, Mister Snape, but she came to my class, drowned in tears, basically and her friend said you made her cry.", the Transfiguration professor's voice had an edge to it.

"Boggarts on the curriculum for the third year, Miss Granger. I remember distinctly that you did it with Remus Lupin.", he said the name neutrally, even if he would have sneered it a few years back.

"Yes, but…"

"I cannot control what their boggarts are, Miss Granger. And I don't know whether anyone cared to inform you of the fact that stepped before her when I noticed she was distressed.", he interrupted quietly.

"But…", she tried to say something again.

"Yes, she came to your class drowned in tears.", he mocked. "I cannot help that. She left my classroom in tears."

"Yes, but…", she began again, her temper rising from being interrupted all the time.

"I don't know what happened between my classroom and yours, Miss Granger. I stuck to the former, Ministry-approved curriculum for the time being and boggarts are featured in that. Prominently. I can't believe you would forget that so quickly. It's only been, how many years for you, Miss Granger? 9 years?"

"Profe…", her face had turned red and she wrung her hands in rage.

"And as far as I remember, your boggart was actually Professor McGongall, telling you you had failed all subjects.", he mocked her mercilessly.

"Professo…"

"So you actually came here to tell me that I should stop teaching my curriculum? Or are you telling me to stop teaching?"

"Will you let me speak!", she shouted over his voice.

"Please, Miss Granger.", he replied haughtily, looking at her with his evil sneer.

She was lost for words at that moment and shot him a nasty glare.

"So?", he asked impatiently. "If you have nothing to say at the moment, then I'd suggest you just leave. I have a potions class to observe in 10 minutes."

She huffed red-faced. "You'll regret that.", she spat and stormed back out of his office.

"What am I going to regret, Miss Granger?", he asked before she could slam the door closed again.

"Treating people like that.", she threw over her shoulder, her robes swinging around her legs.

"People?", he asked back, his voice back to its smooth, velvety quality.

"Me, Mister Snape. As of this morning, Minerva appointed me Deputy Headmistress.", she mimicked his sneer and, with that, closed his door, gently this time.

Snape groaned again. The third time in the last seven minutes. Hermione Granger, resident know-it-all as Deputy Headmistress? With Minerva as Headmistress? In that moment he knew, he shouldn't have refused the position himself. A mere slip of a girl, 25, being Deputy Head. And she would make his life hell after his attitude just now. She would try at least – and he smirked at the thought. He should start attending meals in the Great Hall. She would make a grand opponent and with her and Minerva there, things would not get boring. Not that he was bored. Sometimes though, sometimes, it was a bit quiet down there, with Melete out hunting and most of his correspondences dead. No tasks except this one potion he was working on. Merlin help him should Minerva find out about it. It wasn't exactly dark, on the contrary, but the Headmistress wouldn't like it nevertheless.

He checked the watch on his wall and made his way to the dungeons classroom. Being back at Hogwarts was fun.

.

Hermione was more than angry. He had behaved like the arrogant, sneering idiot she remembered. Risking his life for them, yes, but still. That didn't give him the right to act this way, to be so mean. She had to remember to ask Minerva if she had considered this fact when she had asked him back. And yet, she had begged him as well. Why was that? She couldn't remember. It seemed like a good idea at the time. To get someone to teach their pupils some Defence, to reduce the Potions accidents. Her steps echoed in the corridor to her private chambers. She needed to breathe for a moment until she had to give her afternoon lessons. She just remembered the letter in one of the folds of her robes. One of the few letters of Ron. She couldn't stop the grin on her face. 5 years out of school, half a year of romance, realizing they were not suited – well, she had realized it first, then he had gone to the Russian Ministry of Magic on a exchange programme for Aurors and he had come back 5 months later with a lovely, pregnant wife, Nadeshda. She was really nice – as far as Hermione could tell. Even after 4 years, a pair of twin boys, a 18-months old boy and another one, probably another red-haired boy on the way, Nadeshda Weasley's English wasn't up to par. On the contrary. But she had calmed Ron somewhat and his letters and visits had become more regular, with or without her in tow.

She unrolled the parchment..

_Dear Hermione,_

_I can't believe old McGonagall has employed the greasy git of the dungeons again. Is he still as mean as he used to be? I can only imagine what it means to be working with him. I'd like to offer my heartfelt condolences but I'm sure you'll do great!_

_Nadeshda, Alex, Nico, and Ivan are doing great and they and Harry tell me to say hi. Harry's sorry he can't write but he's busy with work and everything else. _

_Love,_

_Ron_

She smiled. Typical letter. She checked the watch and decided that she could write a quick reply before she had her 7th years.

.

The Potion lesson had already started when Snape strode into the classroom. There were a couple of things he had learned from Dolores Umbridge, horrible woman. And observing a class, annoying even him, had been one of them. Even if he despised the Ministry Worker who now still sat in Azkaban.

Fiesco paled when he saw him walking in and Snape sneered. Unfortunately, this class was the same third year class that he had taught about the boggarts the day before and even Miss Faber paled at seeing him. He kept his face in its usual neutral mask and sat quietly in the back of the class, scanning the room until his eyes fell on the blackboard. Confusing Concoction. The recipe seemed to be alright but the fumes rising from one of the Hufflepuffs' cauldrons, sharing the class with the Ravenclaws, was bright blue. And that was not right. Severus cast a silent Evanesco and the boy looked up startled. Severus fixed his gaze on him and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Do it again. And don't put the scarab beetle until it's down to a simmer.", he said just loud enough for the entire class to hear, including Fiesco.

"Professor Snape?", the teacher asked from the front.

"Mister", he hesitated for only a moment, "Martin here was about to melt his cauldron."

"Ah.", Fiesco simply said. He certainly didn't have Hermione's stamina and Gryffindor courage.

The rest of the lesson went quite peaceful, thanks to Snape's intervention at the beginning, and he was elevated. Fiesco was indeed a fiasco as a teacher. He couldn't give answers to questions and sometimes stammered. He wasn't as bad as Quirrell had pretended to be – but bad enough. The next lesson, a first year Gryffindor and Slytherin class, went just as quietly. But that was probably because Fiesco had decided to do some theory instead of brewing. But a simple look from Snape told the teacher that he had no chance to escape from his watchful eye.

.

Snape was as happy as he could possibly get at the end of that day, even though he wasn't exactly sure why. His classes had gone well, nobody had been hurt, no school equipment destroyed and he decided that it was time to go to the Great Hall for dinner for the first time since he had been Headmaster.

**_._**


	7. VI

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

**_._**

Severus strode down the Great Hall, his robes as usually billowing. Friday. He was more or less glad it was. An entire weekend he could dedicate to grading and his potion. He knew he was close to a break-through. The essays would be easily done and if he could do one half that night, he would be finished by Saturday midday. Then, the children would be in Hogsmeade and he wouldn't have to go with them either. His detentions he had had to supervise that week had been done the night before, so he was free as a bird – or a bat – in his most favourite lab in the world.

He could see Minerva and Hermione sitting next to each other at the head table already whispering with one another and the children he walked past, all turned their heads. Nevertheless, he pretended not to notice. What was the use of that anyway? He would get back to them eventually anyway. Even though, he understood Minerva's outrage, 865 points taken in one week was a bit excessive, both for him and for her. As far as he remembered, and his memory was good like that – Minerva's record for one ordinary week had been 770, and that had been mostly the Weasley's work, and some of his Slytherins, no his ex-Slytherins. His record, except for the time when Harry Potter had attended, had been 634. And he had only awarded 25. In total. He promised himself he would have to cut back a bit, otherwise he would make it into the history of Hogwarts as the teacher who took the most points in a week. That record was held by Ira Kavanagh back in 1539. A potions mistress, like himself. She had taken 1840 points, as far as Hogwarts: A History recorded it anyway. It had been, according to the book he had read probably more often than Hermione Granger in his youth, only a few years after the House Points System had been officially instated.

Severus had no intention of breaking that record; in the near future anyway. Maybe, he decided, just as he sat down on the chair next the Madam Hooch, he would aim to take for 30 per class at most. 210. Not bad. Average, really. And he should probably award a bit more.

"Good evening.", he said neutrally to the flying instructor.

"Severus Snape.", she replied. "I thought you were a rumour."

"Nothing of the sort, I assure you. Probably most of the things you've heard about me are true.", he added with a sneer and put some roast and potatoes on his plate.

.

Minerva noticed Hermione glaring at Severus as soon as he had entered the Great Hall. Later than anyone else in fact but still in time before dinner had begun. The Headmistress had to suppress a grin from appearing on her face at seeing him so obviously trying to ignore the staring students. All of them had had a class with him already, so they should know him at least. And still, he seemed to be a spectacle for the students, and it amused her greatly. Hermione, next to her, scowled and she touched the younger woman's hand briefly on the table.

"It's no use staring at him like that, dear.", she gently said.

"You should have heard him. Like I was a stupid child.", Hermione whispered back.

"I should have heard him when? When did you talk?"

"Earlier today.", Hermione growled. "It was…I was mad at him for making one of the Ravenclaws cry."

"I heard about that.", Minerva smiled a little sadly. "It wasn't, for once, not his fault though."

Hermione knitted her eyebrows together and waited for her to continue.

"You see", the Headmistress added slowly, "she had been in close contact with someone from her Muggle neighbourhood, I believe and it wasn't the best place to grow up in the first place. Lots of violence, from what I hear and there were a few instances where she or her family was threatened with one of those Muggle wands, uh, guns.", she explained.

"That's why her boggart was the gun?"

Minerva shrugged "Seems like it. It really wasn't his fault. I know he's been acting a bit out of sorts this week with taking so many points and handing out a few detentions but I've spoken to him, dear. He's Severus. We wanted him back. Now we have him back, in all his glory.", she risked a quick glance down the table where he sat now, completely interested in his food, it seemed.

Hermione grumbled and cut her meat viciously but the Headmistress stilled her hand for a moment. "I'm not happy with the way he managed his classes this week but Severus usually has a reason for doing what he does – and I'm sure he does so now. But as I said, I've talked to him and maybe it'll help, maybe not. But we'll accept it. Understood?"

"Yes.", Hermione replied and a glimmer of something suddenly flashed in her eyes. She looked at the Headmistress and smiled. "Good. By the way, I'll go to Hogsmeade with the children tomorrow."

"You said you had detentions to oversee tomorrow? The boys who tampered with the suits of armours?"

"All Slytherins. I thought that maybe someone who knew Slytherins should supervise that detention. And I think I know just the person.", she grinned and stood up slowly, walking to the other end of the table. She put her hand on the table next to Snape's plate and drummed her fingers lightly against the wood.

"Professor Snape.", she began in her friendliest voice without any malice, just friendly and calm.

"Granger.", he replied snarkily. He hated to be disturbed while eating.

"Better than Miss Granger. I just heard from the Headmistress that I'll be needed to chaperone the children to Hogsmeade."

"Have fun then.", Severus' lips twitched ever so slightly and attacked another potato with his knife and fork.

Hermione observed the precision with which he cut the vegetable and snorted. It was ridiculous to cut his side-dish so precisely. "Yes", she pulled her eyes away from his potion- and ink-stained fingers and looked in his eyes. "But I assigned a detention to 5 Slytherin 6th years for making all the suits of armours walk the halls during classes. I still don't know how they did that, actually, but they were banned from Hogsmeade this weekend and I need someone to supervise that detention. All Saturday, in fact."

"And?"

"And I remember someone who was very good at thinking up tasks for detentions.", Hermione smiled pleasantly.

"Filch, yes. Just ask him.", Severus replied, as if he had just thought of it. He knew that Granger meant him. But he would not have his Saturday spoilt by detentions.

"Argus Filch is with his sick cousin this weekend. He left this morning. Filius would be too soft on them, Minerva needs to go to London and the Ministry tomorrow, Fiesco", she snorted, "no way, Professor Sinistra has her head in the clouds, Pomona has her apprentice she has to think of…"

"Professor Sprout has an apprentice?", Severus asked curiously – despite himself. He saw Hermione's lips forming a grin for a second and quickly put his facial façade back up.

"It would probably do you good to at least sit in at some staff meetings. Yes, Pomona Sprout has an apprentice.", she paused for effect. "You know him quite well, I think."

"If he ever passed through this school, it is very likely."

"Oh, he did. And he killed, uh…", she stopped herself. That was too rude.

"He killed…what?", he eyes were dark and impenetrable even though he awaited her answer with some interest. But Potter wouldn't be a Herbology apprentice, would he? No, Potter was an Auror. Potter and the youngest Weasley were Aurors.

"Uh, nobody.", Hermione stammered. She couldn't mention Nagini, could she?

"Who is the apprentice then?", Severus asked impatiently.

"Neville.", she regained her composure somewhat and made a mental note not to be sidetracked by Snape about forgetting the detentions.

"Longbottom?", Severus asked and surprised his younger colleague by sounding neutral and she only nodded. "And he killed that snake. I see.", he nodded and speared another piece of potato on his fork, and putting it into his mouth, chewed carefully as if he didn't mind anything she said at all.

"Uh, yes", Hermione needed a moment to get a grip again. "As I was saying, Pomona has her apprentice, apparently a young Hippogriff is sick so Hagrid's out, Filch is with his cousin, Binns cannot control detentions, Minerva is away, Fiesco a fiasco, Aurora has her stars and sleeps most of Saturdays, Filius would simply tell them stories and has to keep an eye on the first and second years, Professor Vector will be going to Hogsmeade with me. That leaves you."

"Reschedule the detentions then.", Severus argued.

"I can't."

"What about Tre…", he began, just as he had looked up and saw the fraud seer with the huge glasses and many shawls floating towards them, her eyes, despite the specs unfocused and her step insecure.

"Yes, sure.", Hermione snorted, her gaze also drawn towards the Divinations Professor.

"Alright, you're right. Not her either. But I can't poss…", he said when the daft woman stood stiff as a poker close to both of them, only her hands stretched out slightly in front of her, the bangle clinking with the oddest noises. Severus groaned in unison with Hermione. Neither wanted to hear another faux prediction. And yet, something was different this time, she seemed almost trance-like.

Her voice was quite unlike her own and she spoke clipped.

"The one with the power to defy and protect returns to revenge and accept. Quite intolerable and feeling abandoned shall find resurrection in meeting the aide to ameliorate. Concurrently they shall die the little death again and again until they'll be two no more."

_._


	8. VII

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_._**

Hermione watched Snape sneer, Minerva raising her eyebrows and the rest of the staff and most of the students gaping open-mouthed.

"Well…", she began, focusing on the apparent subject of the prophecy.

"Ridiculous.", Snape muttered and got up with ease, the sneer very much on display, as well as a pair of dark, rolling eyes.

The Transfiguration Professor looked abashed and fell back on his chair.

"Anything wrong, dear?", Sybill Trelawney asked when she saw all the staring, surprised faces but before she could get an answer, she walked off, and it seemed that her feet weren't actually touching the ground. Hermione shook her head. Harry had mentioned that – after a prophecy, she couldn't speak. And yet, she had spoken of death and that clearly was one of her fake predictions, rather than a real one. But. But. But. Two of her prophecies had been true. And she had clearly sounded not like herself. Little deaths. Poor Severus.

She jumped ever so slightly when she felt something on her shoulder. Looking up, she immediately recognized the wrinkled hand of the Headmistress.

"Was it real?", Hermione asked in a whisper.

Minerva inhaled deeply, then exhaled with a hiss. "I believe so."

"And? What does it mean?"

"I'll have to put this in a pensieve and listen to it again.", Minerva shrugged. "But I believe Severus might be in for a surprise."

.

The man in question hurried down to his private quarters. Apparently the insect had needed the attention again. He wondered though, why she wanted to play matchmaker at all – especially with him as her hero in the tale. He had defied, he had protected, he had come back, but revenge? Accept? It couldn't be anyone else, no one but him had returned. What had he come to revenge? Or worse, accept. And still it was him. He was sure of it. She wouldn't come to stand in front of him if it wasn't.

Severus unwarded his doors, stepped in and warded them again before he shrugged of his robes and frock coat and undid a few buttons on his shirt. He let himself fall in his favourite chair and rubbed his face with his hands. So she wanted him with someone. Someone who was quite intolerable and feeling abandoned. He groaned. There was only one. Oh, Trelawney would get it back for trying to match him with Granger. Intolerable and abandoned. Weasley and his wife with oh so many children and Harry with the youngest Weasley and a child on the way. Abandoned by her friends who all had families. And intolerable – that one was clear.

But why would the insect want the two of them together? There was a sharp knock and the door and he only knew one person who knocked like that.

Severus mumbled a couple of swear words that would have landed any of his pupils in detention for at least two months and decided, for once, against putting on his usual attire. It was only Minerva after all.

.

Hermione made herself a cup of tea after she had changed into her pyjamas and had gathered her kneazle Patrick in her arms, the lovely, white and lightly green-spotted pet she had acquired shortly after Crookshanks had died, and made herself comfortable on her couch with Patrick, tea and a copy of Unfogging the Future. She still thought Trelawney was a fraud, but something was odd and she thought about writing Harry and asking him about his experience with the odd wannabe-seer. But she held herself back for a moment. Ginny was due any day now and he probably wouldn't reply immediately anyway. And still, both the prophecies she had made were true. Maybe this one as well. It would then mean that Snape would die with something. What was it she had said? Little death. Again and again. Torture, maybe until they cracked? And who?

She slapped her forehead. No, little death. Petit mort. French. Shakespeare. Die as a metaphor for something else. She smirked. Trelawney hadn't predicted torture or death but Snape with a woman. The idea per se was slightly ridiculous in Hermione's mind. Snape and a woman. Obviously an abandoned and intolerable woman. The more she thought about it, the more she decided that it was a good thing. Maybe he would get a kind of equilibrium with a woman by his side.

She tapped her finger on her chin. Intolerable and abandoned. Well, she would find out who she was and nudge her gently in his direction.

.

"Minerva.", he said neutrally.

"Severus.", she replied. "Nice display, wasn't it?" The Headmistress stepped inside and Severus raised an eyebrow when he noticed she was carrying a large, square, flat parcel, wrapped in brown paper.

"It was Trelawney. What did you expect?", he stepped aside.

"But a real one, Severus. It's been a while.", she put the parcel gently on the floor and looked at him intently. "You know what it's about, don't you?"

"It's not a real one, Minerva. You can't believe that.", he rolled his eyes again.

"I do. And it would be good for you, at least if I interpret it correctly.", she smirked.

He growled at her. "Did you come here to make fun of me?"

"No.", she laughed and put a gentle hand on his arm for a moment. "I came to give you this.", she pointed at the parcel, then turned on her heel. She looked over her shoulder. "It's self-explanatory."

"Minerva…", he began but she interrupted him with a simple gesture.

"I better go.", she took a step towards the door and put her hand on the handle before she turned again. "You know it's Hermione, don't you?", she smirked and walked out of the door.

"You're getting as bad as he was.", he whispered after her, knowing that she wouldn't hear him anymore. He picked up his wand from the small table where he had left it earlier and pointed it at the parcel.

"Revellio Obscura.", he said clearly and then the unexpected happened.

"Oh for heaven's sake, Severus, stop that and just pull the paper away.", a voice he had not known in decades snarled.

Severus gasped and, much like an excited child on Christmas morning, got on his knees and pulled the brown paper indeed away. "Oh Merlin.", he breathed.

The black-haired woman in the portrait smiled benevolently. "Hello Severus."

"Grandma Lux.", he whitened. "Since when…"

Lux Prince kept the smile on her face. "My dear boy. Tippy brought my portrait from Prince Manor to Hogwarts before the end of the war. I think Minerva wanted you to have it sooner but you were gone most of the time."

"I, uh…"

She laughed. "You don't stutter usually, do you? You don't look it. But my, do you eat enough? You look thin. And pale. Do you ever go out?"

"Grandma Lux, I…"

"Yes, yes. Now, would you hang me on the wall somewhere or do you intend to keep me on the floor?", she demanded, the expression on her face quite similar to the one Severus usually wore when he wasn't satisfied.

Severus groaned. That was just what he needed. Another woman to tell him what to do.

_._


	9. VIII

_**The usual disclaimers apply.**_

_**.**_

After not settling the matter of the detention for the Slytherins, the culprits, were of course standing in front of Professor Granger's office on Saturday morning. She had guessed that and was already waiting for them and simply dragged them to the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom. She told them to wait and descended the stairs to Snape's office. She knocked and stepped in, when she heard the bellowed "Come in."

"Good morning Professor Snape.", she said pleasantly.

"Morning.", he replied, seemingly completely undisturbed and unabashed by the events the night before.

"Are you alright?", she asked curiously.

He rolled his eyes again. "Don't tell me you seriously believed what she said."

"Well, why not? She was right before.", she argued, keeping her voice calm and steady.

"Once."

"Twice."

Severus shook his head. "So I gather you just brought the Slytherins here?"

"Yes.", she smiled. "Thanks very much for doing it."

"Did I have a choice?", he grumbled and stood up, taking his wand in his hand and waited for Hermione to leave his office. She stood dumbstruck as he was holding the door open for her. "What are you waiting for?", he asked impatiently, tapping his foot on the ground.

"Uh, nothing. Sorry.", she looked at him intently, surprised that he would do something like this for a woman, holding doors open, even though it was probably just to make sure she left the office and he could put his wards up. Still – the intolerable and abandoned woman was probably getting a man who knew all about manners – even though he didn't use them often. She moved out of the room and remained standing on the top stair and waited silently until he had cast his spells non-verbally. "Professor Snape…", she began.

"You're still there.", he stated.

"Yes.", she nodded, wondering whether he truly didn't believe in the prophecy. "Uh, they should stay all day."

"Yes, you had mentioned that.", he replied, looking in her eyes for a moment too long. He considered for a quick moment to use Legilimency on her – just to see if she knew it was her in the prophecy. She certainly didn't act as if she knew – her embarrassment would be bigger and she would probably not even talk to him anymore. But Severus had no idea whether she had learned to occlude her mind, and if she did, she would notice what he was trying to do, so he quickly looked at her bushy hair instead, once again put up in a severe bun, much like Minerva's. Only wisps of brown hair framing her face. He cleared his throat. "Anything else, Deputy Headmistress?"

"No.", she replied calmly, looking in his eyes while he looked away. Was he embarrassed? Did he really not believe in the prophecy? The man who had worked relentlessly for a cause that basically based on a single prophecy? Whose whole world was turned upside down because of the word of a insect-like, dotty woman? Who had lost the love of his life because of it? But who was she if not a curious, courageous Gryffindor? She could simply ask him again. Under less stress. And less scrutiny. "Professor Snape…uh…"

"Yes?", he barked, having walked half-way down the steps already without her noticing.

"Just wondering whether you'll be in the Great Hall tonight again.", she stuttered.

Severus looked at her again. So she did know? And she wanted to see him? That seemed highly unlikely. Besides, he had no intention of seeing her. "No.", he answered.

"Okay.", she said quietly. "I'll leave you to it then."

"Good.", he muttered and turned to the pupils. "Potions classroom, now!"

.

Hogsmeade was quiet and the children, Hermione was surprised, were quite well-behaved and so she had a chance to quietly sit in The Three Broomsticks to have a Butterbeer. Severus' behaviour was odd – it almost seemed as if he had wanted to have a quick peak into her mind. But why would he want to do that? She knew nothing, but maybe he did? Maybe he knew about the woman. The Wizarding World wasn't that large and thanks to her connection to Harry, she knew a lot of people. More than she would have known without his friendship. But since she had come to Hogwarts, no, since she had left for her apprenticeship, she hadn't had much chance to get out of Hogsmeade or Hogwarts. London occasionally, The Burrow on the major holidays, Australia twice, once to give her parents their memories back, and the second time, after they had decided to stay there after all for the summer. But otherwise, this here was her world.

And Severus? She had no idea where he had spent the last five years. Minerva had only said so much – here and there, never staying at the same place for longer. He must have met a couple of people, but then again, he had never seemed like the person who had gone out much. Maybe, maybe she was a muggle and she had no chance of knowing her.

The list of witches who seemed suitable was short, at least in her mind. Most of the women she knew his age were either married, or widowed. And then there was the small matter of Lily Evans. Or Lily Potter. Wasn't she the one he had loved for decades? His Patronus. Her Patronus. If he still loved her, his Patronus would still be the same and no other woman would have a chance so the entire prophecy was a fake and the identity of the woman a moot point.

An idea formed in her head and she smirked behind her bottle of Butterbeer.

.

Severus sat at his old desk in the Potions classroom and had a stack of parchments in front of him. No use letting time go to waste just because Granger had dumped the pupils on him. They were sweating over cauldrons that hadn't been properly scrubbed in years, probably not since Potter had done it for the last time, or maybe Weasley. The perfect detention in his eyes. Elbow grease and sometimes spots that wouldn't come off in the cauldrons.

The quality of the student's essays hadn't changed in the time since he had left. Still abysmal and the spelling worse. Besides, if the Dark Lord had still been at large, there was no way they could have defended themselves like that. They had no grasp on even the Theory of Shielding Charms, or defending themselves in another other way. There were two or three in every house that seemed to be better than the rest, but then, that had always been the case. None had the brilliance of some of the pupils he had taught before though. Like Hermione Granger.

She had always known what he was talking about. And she had always known the answer before he had even finished the question. And that had been annoying. But she had the grasp of almost everything. And apparently, she was a well respected teacher as well. Otherwise she had never known about the child crying. A crying pupil usually skipped a lesson, at least in his opinion. At least his classes. But he had never been well-liked either. Not even by his Slytherins. But in the end, he didn't want to be well-liked either. He simply wasn't the type. But Hermione Granger? She wanted to be liked, loved. Ever since her first year, he had known that. Only, she didn't realize, and maybe she still hadn't realized that friendships could not be found in books, there were no instructions of how to do it. And frankly, in his opinion again, both Weasley and Potter had used her. Or had made use of her. Good for her that she hadn't married the Weasley boy after all.

But why was he thinking about her anyway? "Make that cauldron cleaner, Hobbs!", he bellowed.

.

Snape sighed inaudibly and undressed partially. He had been able to make some theoretical arithmantic calculations for his potions but with the pupils there, he couldn't try anything else. It was his potion and nobody's business but his. He flung the robes and coat over a chair and went to a cabinet. He definitely needed a drink after being in his former classroom and seated on his former desk. Somehow, though he would never tell anyone, he missed teaching potions. It was simpler, somehow, mistakes more easily found.

"Will you hang that up?", came the voice from his grandmother's portrait.

Severus groaned but went to pick up the robes and coat and hung them in his closet.

"Are you not going to dinner, my boy?", she nagged again.

"Grandma Lux, I'm not a boy anymore. I'm over 40."

"43, my boy, I know.", she smiled good-naturedly.

Severus simply frowned, poured himself a drink and sat down.

"Severus!", she called again, leaning forward slightly. "Dinner!"

"I'm not 5 anymore.", he muttered, hoping she wouldn't hear him. Defiantly, he downed his Firewhiskey.

"No, when you were 5, I would sit you down on my knee and feed you.", she replied nevertheless.

"You never did that."

"I did. The summer when your mother decided that she needed to fix things with that awful muggle, Merlin help me. She should have never married your father. He was not good for her and he kept you from us.", Lux Prince complained. "And look at me when I talk to you!", she added, fixing a strand of her with a comb on the back of her head.

Severus looked up. There was no need to pretend that he didn't like his grandmother. He stood up and moved his favourite chair in front of the portrait and the corners of his mouth twitched. "I don't remember that."

"I don't think you were five yet, Severus. Three and a half, I believe.", she mused, tracing her eyebrows. "You didn't want to eat back then either. Skinny boy but no wonder in the house you had to live. With that man."

Severus shrugged. "I…"

Lux interrupted him. "We wanted to keep you, Severus.", she said honestly, a wrinkly hand wiping away a tear that wasn't yet visible. "We really did. Your Grandpa Quintus wanted to as well. Merlin, the potential he saw in you. Your life would haven been different, my boy. No Voldemort then. But your mother, and your father.", she sighed. "Enough of that.", she stopped herself. "Go. Great Hall. Dinner. Now!"

"Grandma Lux, what…?", he had wondered during her entire speech. He had never know his grandparents had wanted to keep him. His life indeed would have been different. Maybe better.

"Later, my boy. Please get some dinner. You're too thin. And Hermione will be there as well.", she smiled wickedly.

"How did you know about that?", he asked, shocked.

"I will tell you. If, and only if you go to the Great Hall for dinner. And believe me, I have my ways to find out if you ate enough.", she made shooing gestures with her hands. "Be a good boy for your grandmother."

Severus looked at the old woman he had loved so much when he had been a boy, and had never had enough of. The old woman that had been out of his life by the time he had gone to Hogwarts. The old woman he had last since the night before he had received the Dark Mark. He nodded slowly and went to his closet to get his coat and robes.

"And leave the robes!", she called after him.

He rolled his eyes but obeyed and, with a nod towards his grandmother, left his quarters.

_**.**_


	10. IX

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

**_._**

Hermione let her gaze wander and scanned her colleagues. All the female teachers seemed either too old, or in case of Professor Vector not interested in men. So the female staff was out – nobody Severus could be remotely interested in. And nobody who was abandoned and intolerable. She frowned, then focused on her watercress-soup and hadn't noticed that Severus had come in through one of the doors at the side of the Great Hall. Besides, she sat in the middle of the head table, whereas he had taken the seat on the leftmost side of it.

He noticed her sitting there, and apparently, all of the children had noticed him as all looked up to see him sitting down. He shouldn't have listened to his grandmother. Being there without his robes made him somehow feel bare, naked even. Not fully clothed. He knew that technically, he still wore more than enough layers of clothes to keep the cold of the old castle out but still – his robes had been his uniform for so long in this school – to intimidate, to keep curious looks away. Still, the watercress-soup looked delicious and he decided to once again, set his face in its usual mask and began to elegantly spoon the hot liquid.

The Deputy Headmistress, as Minerva was still in London, had to keep half an eye on the pupils and they had all stop eating and chattering for a moment. Something was amiss and she noticed they were staring up to the head table. Her gaze followed their looks and she was surprised to see Severus sitting there. But that was not all, and certainly not why all the children would look up like that. He was missing his robes. Nothing that billowed, nothing that hid anything. Just the tight, high-collared frock-coat she had known since she was 11. And yet, something had shifted, something had changed. Though Hermione had no idea what. But suddenly, he seemed different.

Probably he already knew who the woman was and probably she really was in the room. Maybe Vector was interested in men after all. Or he did like older women. Minerva, probably? No, intellectually, she was on his level, but she was most likely older than his mother. And she wasn't there, so there was no sense to impress her by the absence of his stern teaching robes. Pomona Sprout? Married. Madame Pomfrey? Married. Hooch? No. Living with someone. Sinistra? No. What if the prophecy didn't speak of a woman at all? What if Severus wasn't really that into women? She gasped, earning an astonished glance from Filius Flitwick.

"Are you alright?", he asked gently.

"Uh, yes. Thank you.", she replied, blushing ever so slightly.

He couldn't be, could he? He wouldn't have loved Lily Potter like that if he hadn't been into the fairer sex. Merlin, she really needed to find a boggart. And get him outside to make it believable. And then she would have to find a way to transform the boggart into a dementor. Only then, she would really know.

Severus really wished to roll his eyes but he had decided after all, not to be impressed by the stares, and more than that, not to let them know that he even acknowledged it. He looked up for a moment and saw Hermione also looking at him. So she did know after all.

No, he needed no occlumency to read her. She wondered about it though. She looked at him and scanned the room, even seemingly checking out the female seventh years. No, she couldn't possibly think that. Not even he was this sick. She didn't know. The brightest witch of her age, or so they said, couldn't figure out that Sybill Trelawney had spoken about her.

Not that that surprised Severus – matters of the heart seemed not to come easily to Hermione Granger. Her choice in former beaux showed that, in Severus' opinion clearly. Victor Krum, the dunderhead that couldn't probably even write his own name and then the Weasley boy. Not the brilliance of his twin brothers, not the blind ambition of their older brother, not the passion. Plain boring, Severus' thought and therefore quite unsuited for Hermione Granger.

For all he knew – and he did occasionally read the Daily Prophet – there hadn't been anything serious in her life after that. Weasley had married a Russian woman and was breeding, Potter had married the Weasley girl and was breeding as well. Or maybe they had already gotten their children, he wasn't sure and didn't really care.

It all came down to what he had already thought and supposed. Hermione Granger's private life was basically non-existent. Hermione Granger lived for her job, her pupils and this school. But of course he could be wrong. No, not really. Being so oblivious to the fact that she was the woman in the prophecy, while being so brilliant. Poor girl.

Severus really didn't seem to be interested in any women in that room. He kept on looking at his plate and ate as if there was nothing happening around him. Suddenly not being hungry anymore, she put the cutlery on her plate and plucked up her courage. She was a woman who truly wanted the best for him – for her own sake and the sake of the school. A cause for her, after she hadn't been able to free the House Elves. Luckily, the chair next to him was empty and she sat down smilingly.

"Good evening, Professor Snape."

"Granger."

"I thought you didn't want to come here for dinner.", she stated.

"I changed my mind.", he drawled. "I heard it's a prerogative for women but I don't believe in it." He looked intently in her eyes and almost subconsciously, she erected her Occlumency shields.

"Uh.", she stuttered, slightly ashamed. Did he know why she wanted to talk to him? Did he try to find out?

"Yes?", he asked impatiently.

"How do you like working here again so far?", she tried her hand at a little small talk.

"Same as before.", he answered after only a heartbeat.

"Uhm, I didn't think we would see you down here after what had happened last night."

"She isn't here tonight, is she?", he sneered, looking around ostentatiously.

"No, she's not really here that often.", Hermione hoped against hope that probably they could talk somehow decently.

Severus nodded and longed for a bit of dark chocolate pudding that was in front of him. But he wouldn't eat that here. Maybe he could ask Duffy later to bring him some. Grandma Lux owed him some answers after all. And she already knew about his weakness for dark chocolate pudding.

"So, Professor Snape, how was the detention today?", she asked, happy to have found a subject she could really talk about.

"Fine. They scrubbed cauldrons. I'm sure if you ask Potter or Weasley, they'll tell you how it's done."

Hermione snorted. "I would but they're both so busy with their families…", she began and stopped instantly when she noticed that she only gave him fresh ammunition by telling him something private.

"Ah.", Severus drawled again. "I hear Weasley is following in his parents' footsteps."

"Yes.", Hermione smiled and she didn't even seemed to notice that somehow, her eyes were a bit sad. Only a tad, mind but Severus, with his extensive knowledge of people saw it immediately. "It's the fourth one on the way. And Ginny and Harry will have their first one soon."

"Impressive.", he sneered, sarcasm very obvious.

Hermione stared at him in surprise. "Yes." She cleared her throat. "Fancy some pudding?"

Severus shook his head, a ridiculing expression on his face. She noticed and spoke before he could answer. "Do you even like sweets? I don't think I ever saw you eating some."

"I don't think it's any of your business, Granger.", he hissed softly.

"Yes, but I'm merely trying to get to know my colleague, Professor Snape. You're not my teacher anymore."

"I'm quite aware of that, Deputy Headmistress.". Severus smirked.

And still, she needed to know whether he was making moves towards finding the woman of the prophecy and she was smart. Maybe he was dating and she could find out. That would solve the problem with the boggart. "So do you like eating?"

"What kind of a question is that?", he asked, somehow taken by surprise. "You have seen my eating twice in the last two days and you surely don't believe the rumours about me being a vampire?", he mocked.

"Of course not.", Hermione protested immediately. "I was merely wondering. But speaking of which, I haven't often seen you outside."

"I go outside, Granger.", he argued. She really had no clue. But she was curious. Of course she was, little know-it-all.

"Mh.", she hummed simply. "But you don't walk for pleasure, do you?"

He frowned. "Interrogating me? You know, the Wizengamot decided that I was innocent. I am a free men, and if I may say so, you're not the most subtle interrogator, Granger.", he replied smoothly, stood up and left her sitting there completely dumbstruck again.

.

Severus poured himself another drink as soon as he got back to his quarters and, after removing his coat and loosening the collar of his shirt a little, sat down to face the portrait of his grandmother.

"So?", he asked impatiently.

"So? How was dinner? Did you eat enough?"

"I thought you had ways to find that out."

"I do, my boy. But for that, I'd had to leave now and I know you're waiting for some answers."

"So?"

"Did you eat enough?"

Severus groaned. "I did.", he replied, then snapped his fingers and called Duffy.

"Professor Snape called?", the elf asked, proud that Severus had taught him grammatical English and that he was able to speak it, even though some of the other elves looked down at him because of it.

"Could you get me some of the dark chocolate pudding they had at dinner, please?"

Duffy nodded happily, his ears erect and disappeared with a pop. He rolled his eyes at his grandmother who grinned.

"Yes, I still like it.", he confessed.

"You could have eaten it in the Great Hall then."

"No."

"No?"

"No.", he said with an air of finality.

"The evil git of the dungeons has a reputation to uphold, does he?", she asked with a knowing smirk that Severus knew quite well.

"Yes, of course. Minerva?"

"Minerva what?"

He rolled his eyes again. "Did she tell you that?"

"No. But you do know that I can move to other portraits, don't you?"

He shrugged. "I thought only those made specifically for Hogwarts can do that."

"No.", she shook her head. "We all can."

"And the prophecy?", Severus asked. "How did you know it was Granger."

"Who's Granger?", she asked puzzled. "Ah, Hermione.", she answered herself after a moment. "Well, that was another informant."

"Minerva.", Severus stated.

"Might have been.", she grinned.

"Should have known. Was that why she brought you down?", his voice had an accusing tone to it.

"No, Severus, my boy. No!", she was adamant. "I wanted to see you again. Do you know that I haven't seen you since you were 17? And when I see you know, Mister Snape, I'm not happy what I see."

"What?", he asked, surprised by the emotional outburst.

"Severus, look at yourself. You spend your time down here, and yes, Minerva, good girl that she is, told me so…"

"Nobody but you could call Minerva a girl…", he muttered.

"Minerva's about 40 years younger than me. Of course she's a girl.", she replied and looked at him sternly. "Don't try to change the subject."

"You're a portrait.", he said loudly. "Why should I listen to you?"

"Because I'm your grandmother, Severus Tobias Prince.", she almost yelled.

"Snape.", he muttered."

"Prince. You were always a Prince, Severus. But this letting go, this burying yourself, this feeling sorry for yourself, this sneering and the meanness, that is not what a Prince would do."

"Mother did."

"Your mother…", she sighed. "I'm sorry, my boy. You are a Prince, you always will be a Prince. Your mother was weaker than you ever were.", she shook her head sadly. "Even when you ran with that idiot Voldemort you were stronger than anyone else. You spied for how long?"

He mumbled a number, looking into his glass, then took a sip and looked up. "It doesn't matter, Grandma Lux."

"Quite right. But you still hide. You're not a spy anymore. You deserve to live your life.", she insisted.

Severus shrugged.

"Look at me, Severus.", she said intently. "Look at me." When he looked up, she almost pierced him with her painted stare. "You deserve this woman."

"I don't even like her.", he snorted.

"Of course you do.", she rolled her eyes. "You just don't know it yet."

"And you can't tell me you believe in that prophecy."

"Of course I do."

"Grandma Lux…"

"And even if. Don't tell me you're still in love with that, what was her name? Lily Evans."

"No, Lily let me go.", he muttered.

"What was that?"

"She let me go.", he repeated, only a bit louder.

"Good. Then go after that girl. Or any other girl.", she shook her head. "You may not be the prettiest pumpkin in the patch but you've got money, you're a war hero, you've got wit, stamina and a brain."

"Grandma Lux, please.", he looked at the portrait, picking up the bowl with pudding finally. "I'm going to eat this in my bedroom."

"Severus?", she asked quietly.

"Yes, Grandma Lux?"

"I only want what's best for you.", she confessed softly.

"I know.", he mumbled. "Good night."

.

Hermione was surprised to see two rolls of parchment sitting on her desk in her private chambers. She breathed deeply before she picked them up. Deciding to do something about the slight tension headache she had gotten since Severus had taken off like that, she toed her shoes off, shed her robes, undid her bun and poured herself a tiny glass of Firewhiskey. She normally kept it for special occasions but maybe this was one. She sipped a bit and settled on her bed with the glass and the parchments. The writing on the first she unrolled was somehow familiar but not quite.

_Hermione,_

_we were wondering where you were today. I would have never thought you would miss the Namegiving Ceremony for little James. Ginny and Harry were quite disappointed, as well as Arthur and me. Especially since they wanted you to be Godmother. An honour which now falls to Luna Lovegood._

_Sincerely, _

_Molly Weasley_

Her mouth had fallen open and she clasped her hand over her mouth. Had she missed the letter when they had told her about James' birth? Ginny did have a boy. Harry had a son. And she hadn't been there. She got up and frantically searched all her desk for an unrolled bit of parchment. Something she had missed but there was nothing. Forgetting about the second roll of parchment, she quickly sat on the desk and scribbled madly.

_Dear Harry, dear Ginny,_

_I'm so sorry I missed the Namegiving Ceremony of your son. Congratulations, by the way. I'm so sorry – I suppose the letter must have gotten lost somewhere. I'm afraid I have quite the chaos on my desks, both in my rooms and in my office and since Minerva named me Deputy Head – the Defence teacher is in St Mungo's – it's gotten only worse. _

_I apologize once again!_

_All my love, _

_Hermione_

She whistled for one of the school owls and only after she had sent it off, she allowed herself to hang her head and a couple of tears to fall. She completely forgot about the second parchment.

.


	11. X

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

**_._**

Hermione had curled up in a ball, Patrick the Kneazle snuggling to her feet and warming them. She had searched high and low in her quarters – everywhere. She had flooed to her office and had searched there until about 2:30 in the morning. Nothing. She had given up then and had allowed herself more sobs and crying. She turned slightly and felt something stick against the small of her back. Carefully, she searched with her fingers what it was and pulled the creased roll of parchment from underneath her. Her eyes red and gritty, her sight rather blurry, she unrolled it and sat up.

_Hermione,_

_I'm so sorry. I was supposed to come and get you when James was born. But there was always something to do and Alex needed me and Nadeshda needed me and I was held back. I tried to floo you earlier but I suppose you have wards and I couldn't get through. Anyway, just wanted to explain. James was born three days ago and he looks like Harry – this time, the Weasley side didn't come through. Will Snape ever hate it if a new James Potter that looks like a Potter comes to Hogwarts!_

_Love,_

_Ron_

Hermione seethed. Nobody had thought of contacting her and they didn't even have the guts to tell Molly Weasley that she had no way of knowing. She had written Ginny a couple of days before the baby had obviously been born, and she had never gotten a reply. Harry had never shown up and Ron – apparently he was quite unreliable when it came to other things than his family. And there certainly wasn't a so-called Golden Trio anymore. It was Harry and Ron and their families. And then Hermione. She accepted that. Children? Yes. Maybe. Someday. Probably. Not yet.

She fell into a fitful sleep, determined to go to The Burrow in the morning. She needed to fix this.

.

Severus rubbed the sleep from his eyes, sitting up in his bed for a second. Something had woken him but he couldn't for the life of him recall what it had been. Then, there was another knock on his door and he knew why he had been pulled out of his sleep so suddenly. Maybe, there was someone, a Slytherin that trusted him more than his Head of House or another emergency.

He grumbled, wrapped a long, black, covering robe tightly around his bare torso and the muggle pyjama pants he was wearing – somehow it always seemed more comfortable to sleep in that instead of keeping up wizarding traditions and nightshirts – and with the wand in his hand but barefoot, he walked towards the door. Another knock and he knew who it was. He snapped the door open and stared in Minerva's smiling face.

He rolled his eyes but stepped aside. It wouldn't do for pupils to see him like this – so undressed. "Headmistress.", he said cynically.

"Morning, Severus. I just got back from London."

"Interesting. In the middle of the night.", he grumbled.

"It's half five.", she snapped. "You were always the first one up when you were teaching here."

Severus rolled his eyes. "You will find I still am. When there are actually classes. It's Sunday today."

"I'm quite aware of that.", she shook her head and knew that movement ever since he had been attending Hogwarts. "Do you mind if I talk to your grandmother for a moment?"

Severus groaned and pointed at himself.

"Go get changed. We'll have breakfast together then.", she smiled at him. "Please?"

He knitted his brows together but made a simple surrendering motion with his hands. "Don't put any ideas in her head.", he mumbled on his way to the bedroom.

"Of course she will.", his grandmother cried from the portrait before she smiled at Minerva. "Good morning, me lass."

"Good morning, Lux.", Minerva beamed up to the woman in the painting.

"If you cast a nonverbal silencing spell, he won't notice.", Lux winked.

"It's his quarters. Of course he'll notice.", Minerva protested.

Lux shook her head. "He won't. Trust me." But when Minerva lifted her hand, she stopped her with a hiss. "No. Not that one."

"What, I wasn't…"

"Don't cast a silencio or a muffliato. Try generate domestici.", Lux grinned.

"Generate domestici?", Minerva asked.

"One of Quintus's spells. He loved talking in private to his mother in the portrait without me hearing it. It's an easy, simple spell and he won't notice.", she scratched her chin for a moment. "The wand in a question mark movement."

Minerva smiled, concentrated and waved her wand in the described question mark movement. "Did it work?", she asked curiously.

"We'll see.", Lux laughed, then cried. "Severus!" Both women turned their heads to his bedroom door but nothing happened expect that they heard him rummaging around. "Okay, quick. News?"

"Hermione still doesn't know it's her. Or at least didn't when I left and she seemed a bit off last night at dinner. Filius told me. Besides, I'm sure she would have come to me if she had found out."

"Why doesn't she know that she's the girl?"

Minerva shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I only found it a bit, well, odd, that she was here at all yesterday. According to Molly Weasley…", Minerva snorted when she saw Lux wrinkling her nose at the name, "she wasn't at the namegiving ceremony for Harry and Ginny's son yesterday. And she was supposed to be godmother."

"Why was she here then?"

"I suppose she didn't know about it.", Minerva replied gloomily. "I haven't heard from anyone of those, even though Molly was quite angry with her brood for not being able to write."

"Hypocritical woman.", Lux muttered.

Minerva raised her eyebrows critically. "Be that as it may, I haven't heard and again, I would have heard from her if she had heard from them. That sounded strange.", Minerva added pensively.

"So you think they forgot about her."

"Abandoned.", Minerva explained from the prophecy. "I believe she will soon feel abandoned. Especially since Arthur said he had difficulties keeping Molly from sending her a Howler."

"Poor girl.", Lux shook her head. "I can see why they would be suited.", she added softly.

"How is he?", Minerva asked concern lacing her voice.

Lux shrugged. "He ordered dark chocolate pudding from his house elf last night and took it to his bed room. He pretends not to care but I know that he does, really. At least he's not pining after that Evans girl anymore."

"Lily – yes, it was quite the story."

Lux pierced Minerva with her glance. "That's why he ran, Minnie…"

"You're the only one allowed to call me that, I hope you know that and if you dare to tell Severus…well, you can tell him that I'll call him Sev if he ever dares to call me Minnie.", she threatened.

"I won't tell a soul. I wouldn't dare to.", Lux joined in the laughter.

Minerva grinned for a moment more, then turned serious again. "I know that was why he ran. But Harry, he is that way, he wanted everyone to know what a good person your grandson is. And he simply went and told everyone. Severus hates it. He still does. He went to the Great Hall twice for dinner, and once I haven't even been there."

"Mh, last night. I sent him."

"Good. Thank you.", Minerva smiled. "He needs to get used to people again. Has to get used again to people treating him like a normal person, I mean. Not like a phantasm. You wouldn't believe how many love letters came here by owl after Potter blurted all of that. After he got out of the Hospital Wing and the Order of Merlin. He's not used to being in the limelight and he hates it."

Lux agreed with a hum. "You should probably end the spell. He'll be out soon but before you do it…is there a portrait in Hermione's quarters where I could go?"

"You're interested in meeting her?", Minerva smirked.

"Oh, absolutely.", Lux winked again.

"I'll bring Gundorf the Grumpy up to her.", she smiled and lifted her wand. "Finite Incantatem."

Severus rolled his eyes when he saw the two women giggling together. Especially Minerva – who never really giggled. He cleared his throat and looked at both critically with one elegantly raised eyebrow. "Don't think this'll be a regular occurrence for you, Minerva.", he hissed.

"Of course not, my boy.", Lux soothed. "Usually I go up to her office. Talk to her and Albus a bit."

Severus sighed inwardly, then fixed Minerva with his stare. "Breakfast then, woman?"

"Don't be so disrespectful towards your Headmistress!", Lux scolded without malice in her voice.

Minerva grinned, shrugged and without invitation, took Severus' arm. "Shall we go then?"

He simply nodded and led the older woman out of his rooms.

.

_The wailing baby woke her up. The third time that night. Why was it that the boy always seemed to wake up when she had just fallen asleep. Her bed was warm and cosy but she was up in a split second, freezing and immediately wrapping a thick, heavy, black, long robe around herself. She looked around the room and immediately noticed that something was missing. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but really, the room seemed empty._

_Hermione walked barefoot over the stone floor into the nursery and only noticed when she opened the door that had only been left ajar that the baby had stopped crying. She sighed but decided that she wanted to make sure he was alright nevertheless but when she stepped up to his crib, he wasn't inside. _

"_Quintus?", she asked quietly._

"_Shh, Hermione. He just fell asleep again.", a familiar , velvety, smooth voice replied softly. _

_She spun around and faced an old rocking chair. Her tired eyes noticed immediately and her mouth quirked into a happy smile. "Severus. I hadn't noticed you were up."_

"_Quintus cried and you had just fallen asleep.", he explained. "I was up. He's also my son."_

"_Was he hungry?", Hermione asked, not bothering to hide her yawn and she stepped carefully towards the rocking chair. _

"_No. I think he was just a bit scared of something.", Severus replied softly and shifted the sleeping baby in his arms. He smiled lovingly and patted his left thigh. "Sit down?"_

_Hermione smiled back and settled comfortably on his thigh, leaning back against his broad chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist. She looked at him for a moment, then took the little boy from his arms and scooted closer to him. She closed her eyes, inhaling the baby-scent and enjoyed his lips on her temple. _

"_Merlin, I'm happy.", he breathed against her ear before his lips assaulted her temple and brow again. _

"_Me too, Severus, me too.", she whispered and enjoyed the feeling of his tongue against her skin. _

"Ick, Patrick, get off me!", Hermione cried, pushing the kneazle that liked her face from the bed and tried get control over her breathing again. A child with Severus Snape. "Sure", she said to herself, voice oozing sarcasm.

_**.**_


	12. XI

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_._**

The dream had greatly shaken her. Flashes of images haunted her well through her breakfast – taken in her rooms as it was custom for her on a Sunday – her shower and the rest of her morning routine. While she usually enjoyed Sundays without the now customary bun at the back of her head, she decided that it was needed today. She had some things to fix and it certainly wouldn't do to come as a wild-haired hag. Besides, she always thought she looked a lot younger with her hair down, especially since she had found the perfect product that, meticulously applied, left her hair at least manageable and wavy instead of bushy and curly. She chose her clothes carefully as well. Teaching and formal robes were out. She would come as a friend. A muggle-born friend. Hermione chose dark blue jeans and a white, long-sleeved, plain shirt. It would do, she decided as she stood in front of her full-length mirror. A pair of sneakers and her outfit was perfect. No make-up. She was Hermione Granger. And she had no plan of hiding that fact behind layers of thick make-up. She was their friend. Or supposed to be their friend.

Severus.

The name suddenly popped into her head again, along with the feeling of his arms around her in the dream. It had been so real and the sight of him holding the tiny baby in his arms, gently rocking it, smiling so lovingly, so tenderly at her, was branded, she knew, in her memory. She had never seen him smile. Not once. Smirking, yes. Sneering, yes. Twitching corners of his mouth, yes. But never such a smile.

Severus.

Quintus.

Where had that name come from? She had known, in her dream that the baby was called Quintus. Quintus Snape. It had a lovely ring to it as well. Hermione Snape. Mrs Hermione Snape. She looked into the mirror again and shook her head. Hell, she didn't even like him – he didn't even like her. They never got along. All the times they had met, there had been less than civil words.

Besides, there was another woman for him. An intolerable, probably lonely woman that would be his. She sighed deeply and shrugged.

But…

He had been good with the child. He had been loving, and tender, and caring, and happy. Severus Snape happy. And he had said it.

"In your dream, Hermione. Haven't you read Freud?", she muttered to herself, rolling her eyes at the same time. Talking to herself again. Great. Yes. It was simple. She had thought a lot about Severus. She had thought a lot about the prophecy, and she had thought a lot about babies. So there, simple, perfectly explainable dream.

"Right.", she told herself and walked briskly out of her rooms, trying to forget the images in her head of Severus the father and the loving, well, what? Had he been her husband in the dream, she wondered as she pushed the doors that lead out of the castle open. She tried to remember if she had seen a ring on her finger. She didn't know, she didn't remember. Another trip to the pensieve would be in order. Or she could simply forget about the dream.

It really didn't matter whether they had been married or not. Just a dream, a result of too much thinking. Too many thought about that man and about babies.

Deeply in her thoughts, she almost forgot that she was headed towards the Apparating Point but she caught herself in time and with a pop, disappeared.

.

Minerva smiled at Severus, for the first time since he had come back to teach sitting next to her at a meal.

"Why are you smiling like that?", he asked suspiciously, taking a sip of his tea.

The Headmistress shrugged a shoulder. "I just remembered something your grandmother told me."

"Oh Merlin.", he sighed and his hand wandered to his right side. There, on the table lay a copy of the Sunday Daily Prophet. Not that he usually read that junk but it was better than infernal small talk with Minerva McGonagall.

"Don't be like that.", she scolded lightly. "Nobody's here but you and me."

His fingers had almost reached the paper when he felt an elbow in his ribs. "What…"

"It's you and me here. We can talk. You can read that…thing…when I let you get back down there.", her sharp tone was accentuated with a nod of the head, just as sharp.

"I'll rise to the bait then.", he muttered. "What was it you remembered that my grandmother told me."

"Dark chocolate pudding.", Minerva smiled.

"Oh Merlin.", he muttered again.

"Yes. Brings back memories, doesn't it?", she asked curiously.

Severus looked startled for a moment, surprised even, then nodded slowly.

"I'd let you have it after Eileen…", she sighed. "I didn't mean to bring it up."

"Clearly you had no ulterior motive.", he snapped.

"I don't, Severus.", she replied honestly. "But with Lux there, I am reminded of your mother, naturally. And you as a boy."

"She still treats me like one if it's a consolation for you.", he said quietly.

"It's not the worst thing. You've taken care of yourself since…since…"

"There's nothing wrong with that.", he snapped and picked up the paper deftly, opening it at a random page.

"Put that paper down, please.", Minerva gently lay a hand on his arm. "She wants what's best for you. She's always wanted it."

"You can't always get what you want."

"That was a Rolling Stones record, Severus. I'm quite aware of that.", she smirked, glad that she could take a bit of the heaviness out of the conversation.

Severus' head snapped in Minerva's direction and he looked at her, his gaze full of questions. "A nephew of mine was a squib but his children weren't. I spent some time with them back in the days. And Albert, my nephew, loved that song."

Severus snorted. "Alright."

"Could we get back to the subject?"

"Which was?"

"That your grandmother, and me, only want to see you happy."

"I am happy!", he explained with a little more force than was strictly necessary.

She lowered her eyebrows and squinted.

"Content then.", he conceded.

Minerva cocked her head and smiled wisely. "Your grandmother and I disagree."

"Don't meddle. I've had enough meddling from your former…whatever he was…in my life."

"We used lover as a way to calling ourselves, Severus.", Minerva smiled sadly. "But he was meddling for mostly his own good. And probably what he thought was right for the greatest amount of people. Not necessarily the single person."

Severus stared at her wide-eyed. To hear something from the one person that had always defended Albus. Always.

"Stop looking like that. It's been more than six years. I miss him a lot, not his mind and his words – those were transferred to the portrait but him as a whole. With a lemon drops and other sweets always somewhere in his pockets. But he used people – to a certain extent. He used you, he used Harry. He used me.", she shrugged. "But because he thought it was right. Because he knew this way we could win. And we did."

"We", he sneered the word, poured all the venom in it that he felt, "didn't."

Minerva sighed and looked furtively around the Great Hall. There was still nobody around and so, she put her fork aside and slowly, brought her hand up to his face. She cupped his cheek in a motherly fashion and was astounded that he didn't even flinch. She looked deeply into his dark eyes and spoke softly: "You lost a lot. And I suspect that all that travelling, all that running around wasn't really what you wanted. I would have taken you back immediately, you know that. I know you don't want the attention. I know you were a spy and you're used to living…what? Under the covers? But this is not life as you should lead it. You lost a lot. But you didn't lose."

"I don't want your pity.", he spat and jerked his head away.

"I'm not pitying you, lad.", she continued softly while she turned his head with a gentle force by finger fingers on his chin until he looked at her again. "I'm only telling you how I see it." Minerva cupped his cheek again and continued. "Let go for a while, Severus. Stop that masquerading as the devil's spawn. I don't care how many points you take, how many detentions you give, but smile once in a while for heaven's sake."

He raised an eyebrow but merely looked at her.

"And if not for me, then for Lux."

"She's a portrait.", Severus was angered and pushed her hand away from his face.

"Aye. But the portrait knows the regrets your grandmother had.", she all but whispered and turned to her food again, aware that a few first years had come for breakfast.

.

It was sunny but quite cold, even for early November and Hermione wrapped her heavy coat tighter around herself. She should have worn her robes over her ensemble anyway but then again, she simply didn't want to. Apparating always left her shivering slightly and the bit she had to walk to The Burrow made her even colder. She cursed softly for a moment, grateful that no pupil ever saw her like that. But then again, that was the rule, wasn't it? They only ever saw Professor Granger, strict teacher and never Hermione the young woman who swore under her breath and shivered in the cold.

She wondered whether it had been the same with Severus. Obviously. He had always been the mean, Gryffindor-despising teacher, never Severus the man who probably froze and swore and went to the loo like the next person. And odd, but she had still seen him this way even when she had already been a teacher herself.

Hermione groaned inwardly. Again she was thinking about him. As if she had a crush on him. Ridiculous.

There was no way she – or her knock - could be heard over the ruckus that came from inside and that she could make out as soon as she stepped in not so close proximity to the door, so she simply decided to walk in. The way she had done multiple times.

And of course, immediately, all eyes were on her and the happy chatter ended. She stood tall and looked first at Ron, then at Harry, unwavering. For a quick second, she thought that Severus would be proud of her to see her staring like that.

"You!", Molly Weasley shouted and rushed towards Hermione.

"Hello Mrs Weasley. Ronald. Harry. Ginny. Fleur. Bill. Nadeshda.", she nodded towards each single person coldly.

Ron seemed to pale, then he seemed to want to disappear from the face of the earth. Ginny, on the other hand, with the baby in her arms, really got up and without saying a word, left the Weasley kitchen. Hermione stared after her, and her mouth fell open when Harry wanted to follow her without saying a word.

"Harry?", she asked, trying to keep calm. "Please stay. I think there are a few things I'd like to say."

He stood and looked at his old friend but his mother in law interrupted him. "You want to say something?", she screeched. "You want to…Hermione Granger, you didn't come here yesterday. We postponed the ceremony for two hours because we thought you were held up.", she yelled.

"And that was how my fault?", Hermione yelled back. "I hadn't even known that the child was born. Nobody told me."

"Of course they told you.", Molly retorted in the same volume.

"Nobody did. Ask your youngest son.", Hermione's face was flushed. "Ask your daughter. I wrote her a couple of days ago and never got an answer. Ron wrote me, I wrote him back and then I get a letter with…"

Molly's face was bright red when she turned to Ron. "You didn't write her?", she shrieked and moved quickly towards her son.

"Uhm, mum, Nadeshda…", he tried to defend himself.

"Five minutes, Ron.", Hermione said softly. "Five minutes. Hermione, Ginny got her baby. That would have been enough.", she shook her head sadly. "Harry, I understand that you were…"

"I just became a father and you expect me…"

"I expect you to tell me, yes."

"Nobody told her?", Molly shouted. "Nobody told her?"

"Nobody told me, Misses Weasley. I would have been here.", Hermione replied gently. "I'm sorry I wasn't here but…"

"Ronald Weasley! Harry Potter!", Molly began again. "If you were children, I'd have you grounded for a month. How can you let her down like this and how can you let me write a letter like that? She didn't know? Harry – you wanted her to be godmother to your son and you still didn't even floo her? That would have taken you half a minute…"

"I've tried to floo her, mum.", Ron tried to interrupt.

"My floo is not warded!", Hermione protested. "I was in Hogsmeade yesterday but was in my rooms until half ten."

"Of course her floo is not warded, Ronald.", Molly took Hermione's side. "I can't believe you forgot about her. How could you forget your best friend?", she screeched. "And Ginny. Ginny!", she yelled for her daughter, not caring about her grandson for a moment. "Come down here this minute!"

"Harry, I'm very disappointed. Ron – I can't believe you've done this.", she shook her head in exasperation. "Ginny, couldn't you have told Harry or Ron to go to her and let her know?", she turned on her daughter. "And you let me write her a letter like this. You didn't even have the courage to tell me that you were too busy and that she's not your friend anymore. Nobody chooses a godmother because they have to but you didn't even want her here."

Hermione closed her eyes for a brief moment, then, all eyes on Molly, she quietly left the Burrow, her head spinning. They had really forgotten about her and now tried to find easy excuses. She bit her lip hard, then ran to the little fence, knowing she could apparate from behind there. She needed to get away, away from her friends. If they were still her friends.

_**.**_


	13. XII

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

**_Thanks to Nicks!_**

**_***_**

It didn't take Hermione long to get back to her room, back into her professional attire. She certainly didn't feel like seeing a lot of people but with Minerva having been so busy in London it would probably be better if she went to her office – be available for the pupils. If anyone had problems. It was her duty after all. And personal life came after that. All thoughts of Severus were forgotten for the moment – even the dream. She wondered how she had grown so far away from her former best friends. Former being the operative word in her mind. What was she anyway to them anymore? Apparently, not much. If they forgot so easily. And Ginny running out on her, well, they had never been best friends – never been good friends either. Their interests were so different and they had only gotten along because of Ron and Harry. But still, pretending to be so annoyed and so pissed because she hadn't shown up when it wasn't even her fault – oh well.

She would concentrate on her job. Minerva was a great listener and a friend. Minerva was amazing when it came to advice and help, and she could trust her and she, in turn, relied on Hermione. Ron and Harry, despite their having families, were still immature in a way, and now. Oh God, she groaned inwardly – they just didn't need her brains anymore. She hung her head and stepped into her sitting room before she wanted to get to her office.

"Hello, dear.", a strange voice came from somewhere in the room. Hermione had her wand drawn and looked around furtively. There was a tinkling laughter and the Transfiguration teacher spun on her heel but there was nobody in her room. "In here, lass. The portrait."

Hermione spun around once more and there, above her fireplace, she saw a portrait with an older, white-haired, grumpy man, who fought with a distinguished looking woman over the place in the middle of the painting. The woman had long, dark hair, a few wrinkles around the eyes and on the forehead, but she smiled. And that smile lit up the entire portrait.

"Oh.", Hermione simply uttered.

"Minerva had Gundorf here", she pointed at the grumpy man, "brought up here for you. She thought a portrait was missing and I've wanted to meet you for the longest time."

"You know how I am?", Hermione asked curiously, completely forgetting to put her wand away.

"Of course I do. Do you mind if I call you Hermione?", the lady asked gently.

"Of course not.", Hermione shook her head.

"I'm Lux Prince, Hermione.", Lux smiled broadly.

"Prince?", Hermione asked, finally noticing that she still had her wand pointed towards the fireplace.

"Yes, Prince.", Lux winked. "And you're the brightest witch of your age.", she hesitated but lifted her hand in a gesture for Hermione to wait before she spoke. "And you should put your wand away."

Hermione shook her head in an apology and quickly stored it in a fold of her robes. "Are you Sev…uhm, Professor Snape's…uh…"

"Grandmother, lass.", Lux grinned. "I'm Severus' grandmother."

"Nice to meet you, Misses Snape.", Hermione tried to smile a little but was still confused as to why Severus' grandmother would want to see her.

"You're confused, aren't you?", Lux seemed to read her mind.

"Yes. A bit.", Hermione stood very still in front of the portrait.

"I just wanted to meet the brightest witch of her age. And someone who may be the subject of a prophecy."

"A prophecy? Me?", Hermione laughed nervously.

"Professor Trelawney, dear. You were there, as far as I know."

"Yes, but it certainly wasn't me in she was talking about.", Hermione laughed.

"Are you sure?", Lux seemed sure that she was right.

"Uh, quite, yes. Me? No.", Hermione shook her head at the audacity. "Why should it be me?"

"Rumour has it, you were known as the insufferable know-it-all, that would make you probably intolerable. And well, another rumour has it that you haven't heard from the Weasleys when Harry Potter's child was born.", Lux tried to convey her air of omniscience.

"How – how do you know that?", Hermione's mouth hung unnaturally open.

"I have ways of finding things out, dearie.", the older woman smiled knowingly and a bit mysteriously.

"But I'm not the person in the prophecy.", she insisted.

"Who is it then? I bet you have an idea."

"Uh, no, actually. I haven't figured it out. Most of the Hogwarts stuff are either married or too old."

"Or interested in women, yes.", Lux smiled. "Why not you?"

"Because…I don't know, frankly, Misses Prince. But why should it be me?"

"I see.", she replied pensively, understanding what Minerva had mentioned about Hermione. Brilliant when it came to things one could learn – but it was all learning and studying. And apart from that, apart from definitely knowing she was bright and eager and studious and well-read, she didn't seem to have that much self-confidence. And certainly didn't think of herself as a woman. Maybe her connection, her friendship to two boys and no girls. At least that was what she and Minerva had gathered.

"Mh.", Hermione hummed when the woman in the portrait was quiet for a moment.

"I'd quite like to get to know you better, Hermione. Would you mind if I visited occasionally?"

Hermione gaped for a moment but then nodded slowly. "Of course not. I take it your portrait is in Professor Snape's chambers?"

"Yes, of course. The dear boy."

"Dear boy?", Hermione laughed. "Professor Snape? Dear boy?"

Lux rolled her eyes. "He'd say the same thing.", she muttered good naturedly. "So tell me, Hermione, did you visit the Weasleys?"

"How, uh, how did you know, Misses Snape?"

"I told you. I have ways of knowing."

"I did.", Hermione replied, suddenly finding herself trusting the woman in the portrait without even knowing why. There was just an air about her and Hermione, for once in her life, trusted her gut-feeling.

"I take it it didn't go well?", Lux asked compassionately, smiling kindly at the younger woman. "Do you want to sit down, dear?"

Hermione nodded and accioed a chair and sat down. "It didn't.", she said softly.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Hermione shook her head. "It seems…no, I don't know. I have to think about it."

"You can tell Gundorf if you want to talk to me. Or any other portrait in the castle. I'd quite like to convince you that you're the woman in the prophecy."

Hermione snorted. "You can try. But me and Severus? No.", she laughed out loud then.

Lux raised one eyebrow elegantly. "We'll see about that."

***

She left her quarters a while later, after saying good bye to Lux Prince, deep in thought. Her question after the Weasleys – it had shaken her again. At least a bit. Were they through? Was the friendship over? Obviously. She paled at the thought. For 12 years, almost to the day, 12 years and two weeks, actually, she had been best friends with Ron and Harry – but were they so different now?

In a moment of clear thinking, she checked her watch. Lunch. She could do lunch in the Great Hall. Maybe Minerva was there and someone who took her mind of things. The Weasleys. Harry. Molly who shouted at her son and her surrogate son, Harry, and her daughter. She would have to write a thank you note to Molly. Explain, probably. Or maybe just thank her for standing up for her. Not that it had been the case often. But this once, she was grateful. Somehow. It had helped. And she had been able to slip away. She wasn't sure she would ever return. At least in the capacity of a good friend. It would never be the same again for her. They'd be acquaintances in the future, her being the instructor of their children – but probably never anything more.

She never noticed Severus looking intently at her.

***

He simply couldn't resist. The moment she stepped into the Great Hall, he noticed something was wrong from the dark corner he stood in to observe the pupils. Her usual spring in the step was gone – her otherwise erect back was just the smallest bit slumped, her eyes not shining but looking sad, even from the distance and Severus knew she had found out she was the woman in the prophecy. And she hated the thought.

Wandlessly, non-verbally, he cast Legilimens. And was drawn into a whirlwind of memories, flashes, images.

Molly Weasley shouting at her children and at Potter, accusing them of not being Hermione's friends anymore.

The Weasley boy admitting he had forgotten about Hermione.

The Weasley girl taking her child and running from the room, a look of disgust on her face.

Hermione slipping away, feeling utterly hurt and alone.

Hermione talking to a portrait. Grandma Lux. Grandma Lux talking to Hermione. And her, trusting his grandmother but unsure about her feelings.

Sure that she wasn't the woman in the prophecy.

And then, suddenly, out of the blue. Him. A bit more handsome than normal. A loving smile on his face. He wasn't capable of such a smile. And yet, it was there in her head, a bit blurry. A dream, clearly. But him, with a baby on his arms. And Hermione seemed to love the sight of him with the child cradled into her arm. And he seemed to like her. He smiled at her in the way that he had only ever seen in Muggle films. And she smiled back at him and suddenly, she was on his lap. The dream-Hermione loved it and the dream-Severus kissed her tenderly.

Shocked by that sight, shocked by the boy being called Quintus, shocked by the child looking so like him, shocked by the intimacy shared between them, he quickly withdrew from her mind and shook himself inwardly.

But yes, she looked vulnerable. So young as she sat down next to the chair which usually was Minerva's but which was empty. In fact, he seemed to be the only other staff member currently in the Great Hall, even if he was hidden in the darkness. And that vulnerability, that look in her eyes as she had seemed to have finally noticed that she was quite alone, or maybe that she only felt alone, maybe feeling used, stirred something in him. Not that he would ever concede to that. Not even to himself but he couldn't, somehow, stand to see the happy know-it-all to look so subdued. And he had an idea to somehow cheer her up.

Smirking, he went up to the staff table and straight to the chair next to her. She didn't even look up until he sighed softly.

"Professor Snape.", she greeted quietly.

"My my, Hermione Granger.", he sneered, even though he certainly didn't mean it. "Say, who was the teacher who took the most points in a week in the history of Hogwarts?"

"What?", Hermione asked completely stunned.

"You would know that, wouldn't you?"

"Uh, are you planning on breaking that record?", her defence was up again.

"Might be.", he replied, seeing with some satisfaction that the dullness of her eyes had left for something else, even though he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

_***_

_I'm simply overwhelmed by your reviews! Frankly - you made my day and you're terrific! Please continue to be so terrific and review, review, review! I'll dedicate the next chapter to the first person to review!_

_Paulagummy: I am eating - sleeping, well, not so much but I rarely do! Thank you so much for your concern, I'm touched!_


	14. XIII

**_The usual disclaimers apply_**

**_._**

The young Transfiguration Mistress stared in utter disbelief at Severus. They talked actually. No, well, they fought. Or bickered or whatever the term was what they were doing – discussing probably the finer points of teachers and events featured in Hogwarts: A History. And Hermione was astonished that his knowledge almost matched hers. He just sat and talked, in the meantime eating a bit, drinking two glasses of pumpkin juice and she felt that he completely focused on her, his eyes never leaving her for long and it seemed he was a completely different person.

Severus had always known that she was knowledgeable but her eyes had lit up the moment she had understood that he wanted a normal discussion. And she, somewhere in the front of her mind – slight probing of her mind told him that – that she could very well use this conversation to find out more about it, and to find out what type of woman he liked. There were no Occlumency shields erected and somewhere deep down, Severus knew that he shouldn't be entering her mind without her permission but she was so animated after a few minutes and she had relaxed so visibly that he couldn't help himself. He withdrew however and concentrated solely on what she was saying. He hated to admit it to himself but she almost gave him a run of his money.

Her cheeks were slightly blushed and Severus had never noticed before how much she used her hands while she talked.

"If it hadn't been for the Goblin Wars, Professor Snape, they would probably even be teaching here today.", she argued.

"No, they wouldn't.", he retorted quickly. "They'd still be sitting behind their desk and count their coins."

"You don't know that. If there had been a better connection between Wizards and Goblins, there's be more than Filius with his bit of Goblin blood. And he's a good teacher."

"Sure he is. But that's beside the point. They are not made to teach. I know you've had close run-ins with Goblins. They are not patient enough to teach."

Hermione snorted. "Patient?"

"Yes, they're not made to teach. They don't want to teach. And they play, you cannot deny that, a very important role in our lives."

"But even if they wanted to, would they be allowed to teach?", she asked curiously, wanting to hear his opinion and completely ignoring that he seemed to know about their break-in into Gringotts.

Severus shrugged a little. "I don't think Minerva would forbid it.", he looked into her eyes for a moment. "There is still a centaur teaching here.", he added softly.

"Pity that he doesn't make prophecies.", she muttered under her breath.

Severus quirked a corner of his mouth. "You still believe it's a real prophecy?", he bit the bullet after all. If, and only if, this was a real prophecy, he had to make sure she also knew. Not that he wanted to be with her but it was only fair after all. And after all, she had dreamed about him. And a baby. With the name of Quintus. His grandfather's name. A bit odd, that.

"Minerva's tried to convince me. And your grandmother. And she has been known to know a few things. I wanted to ask Harry, but…", she trailed off, her eyes losing the shine slightly again.

Severus looked at her and she immediately raised her Occlumency shields. He knew she would and didn't even try to enter her mind.

"What was it with Potter?", he asked, almost compassionately.

"Nothing.", she shook her head. "It's just that…", she stopped again.

"Look, nothing will heighten or lower my regards for Potter. Especially not since the fall of he-who-must-not-be-named.", he lowered his brows and frowned. "He's everywhere you go."

"He just…uh, I don't know, he likes the fact that he's loved, Professor Snape. He has gone without love for such a long time."

"He really believe he's loved?"

"I think he sees it that way.", Hermione frowned as well.

"And you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Which way do you see it?", he asked curiously, tapping lightly against the table and an apple appeared on it. He wasn't sure why he asked. But he didn't want her to look so sad. Simple as that, probably. And she had just lost her two best friends - a family, almost, despite the fact that Molly had defended her. He looked at the Granny Smith apple and grunted barely audibly and cut it with a knife he pulled from one of the folds of his robes. "I don't know why they always just bring the apple. They've done it ever since I started being here. Do they really think I'd just bite into it?"

Hermione squinted. Severus Snape cutting an apple meticulously. Eating apples? Since he had started being there? As a pupil? He made eights and speared one of the pieces on the knife and offering it to Hermione.

"Close your mouth. I do eat apples.", he drawled and smirked when she snapped her mouth shut and daintily picked the apple from the tip of his knife and bit into it.

"So?", Severus asked.

"So?", Hermione asked, not understanding.

"Do you think Potter's loved?"

She shook her head after a moment's hesitation. "He's admired. But seriously, I don't think anyone really knows him.", she said in her normal, analytical voice, then added, barely above a whisper, "even I don't."

Severus ate another bit of apple and handed her one as well, this time without the knife. He took it, grateful her hands had something to do, even if it was just holding an eights of an apple.

"Sometimes friends grow apart.", he replied pensively, "You've chose different paths. Seems inevitable."

Hermione was lost for words for a moment, then nodded slowly. "So your grandmother told you?"

Severus quickly understood the easy way out that Grandma Lux had presented him there, albeit unknowingly. "Yes."

She bit her bottom lip and he was astonished, how fast her eyes had grown so sad again. "It's normal, Hermione."

He looked at her after the slip of his tongue but she seemed quite far away. Severus was unsure whether she had heard him at all. Tearing his eyes away from her, he scanned the room, then stiffened. Hermione noticed immediately, her eyes still fixed on him.

"Professor Snape?", she asked concerned. "Are you alright?"

He groaned and she saw the reason he did this as she followed his eyes and saw Minerva, a smirk on her face walking towards them.

"Is she…oh my God, she is, isn't she?", she looked at him and noted the blank expression on his face and added in a hushed, strained voice. "Minerva is the woman in the prophecy. She's quite intolerable and Dumbledore…"

Severus looked as if someone had slapped him across the face and Hermione would have been startled to see so many facial expressions from him in such a short span of time, if she hadn't just had that interesting revelation. "Are you quite off your rocker, silly girl?", he spat. "Minerva? She could be my mother!"

"But…", Hermione started. "It makes so much sense now."

Severus groaned and shook his head slightly, allowing his face to fall into place again. "And here I was almost convinced you were really bright.", he sneered. "Silly girl.", he muttered, stoop up quickly and walked out of the Great Hall, brushing past Minerva with his robes billowing.

.

He stormed into his quarters, didn't bother to ward the door but simply banged it shut. "Grandma Lux?", he called.

"There you are, my boy.", she replied gently, putting away the knitting with which she had occupied her time and put it gently on the small end table but remained seated in her plush arm chair.

"What the Styx did you tell Hermione?"

"What do you mean?", she asked, her expression puzzled. "I just told her who I was, asked her what she thought about the prophecy and probably made one tiny remark that she might be the woman in it.", she shrugged.

"That backfired.", Severus stood close to the painting, his nose almost touching it. "She thinks it's Minerva."

Lux began to giggle, then the giggle turned into a full-blown fit of laughter. "Minerva?", she choked. "Minerva? You and Minerva?"

He rolled his eyes and hit his fist against the wall next to the portrait. Lux stopped her laughing immediately and glared at him admonishingly. "You don't like the thought, do you?"

He looked at her, then disappeared out of his quarters. He needed something to occupy his mind with something else than Hermione Granger and that damned prophecy.

.

"Where did he suddenly disappeared to?", Minerva asked as soon as she reached Hermione at the Head Table.

The younger woman put her face in her hands and sighed softly. "I mentioned that you might be the woman in the prophecy."

Minerva chuckled. "That's outrageous, dear. I'm most certainly not the woman in the prophecy."

"But it makes sense, Minerva. It really does. He finds you intolerable. And you were abandoned."

Minerva raised her eyebrows to dangerous heights. "Hermione, I assure you, I am not the woman in the prophecy. I've known Severus since he was a baby. A newborn, almost. And me and Severus, dear, that thought alone is ridiculous."

"But…"

"You haven't figured out yet who else it might be?", Minerva asked gently.

Hermione shook her head a little sadly but still kept it in her hands, not looking at the Headmistress. "His grandmother thought it could be me.", she mumbled against her palms.

"Speak up, dear."

"His grandmother, I'm sure you know already that she talked to me, thinks it could be me."

"Lux told you that?"

"You know her?"

"Yes, I do.", Minerva laughed. "Her husband was a friend of our family."

Hermione nodded slightly but Minerva was quicker and spoke. "So, why shouldn't it be you, Hermione?"

"Me? Severus? Him and me? Don't be ridiculous."

"Molly flooed me just now.", Minerva said glumly. "I know what happened."

"What does that have to with anything? They're not my friends anymore, they forgot me, but that's…", realization dawned on Hermione. "Oh dear.", she groaned. "Abandoned."

"Finally.", Minerva sighed.

Hermione paled, then her mouth fell open. "It's m…oh Merlin. Oh God. Oh dear. It's me.", she stood up so abruptly that her heavy chair clattered to the floor and fled the Great Hall through a door in the back.

_._


	15. XIV

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

**_._**

Hermione raced through the corridors. She needed to get out of the castle, get her head cleared, thinking about what had just happened, what she had just found out.

Severus and her.

The prophecy and the dream. The dream. She kept running as fast as she could, for the first time since she had come to teach, and probably the first time ever, not caring what others thought. She needed out of the castle, a brisk walk or something. Air. Hermione needed air.

.

Severus needed to get out of the castle. The Leaky Cauldron, maybe. Or Diagon Alley. The Forbidden Forrest for some herbs and fungi. Out, just out. How could Granger be so daft not to notice it was her in the prophecy? Thinking it was Minerva, stupid girl. He strode quickly, pupils jumping out of his way from fear. He would have enjoyed seeing that he had that kind of reputation again but his mind was on the silly girl. The brilliant conversationalist who had such passion flashing in her eyes when she spoke. The graceful movements of her hands when she argued a point. She wasn't – as Grandma Lux would put it – the prettiest pumpkin in the patch but she was bright, brilliant, witty and somehow, Severus groaned inwardly when the thought came into his mind, completely out of the blue, lovely. Insufferable, intolerable, yes, a know-it-all, for sure and quite unnerving and nerve-grating. But so lost and alone. So like him.

He couldn't explain it to himself why he so suddenly, after more years than he cared to remember, felt something for a girl, no, a woman. And why it had to be her. Inexplicable. Truly, utterly inexplicable. But she was on his mind. Minerva and Lux would have a field day if they ever found out.

But they wouldn't. He had no intention of acting on anything he might feel as long as she didn't make an interest in him known. And she would never do that. Minerva, indeed. The one mother figure in his life and she thought he would ever bed her. That's what she thought of him.

Neither noticed that they were approaching the same back entrance at the same time from opposite directions. Neither focused on where they were going. Both were lost in thoughts.

Hermione's run was stopped quite immediately by a wall of black, her face hidden in soft, good-smelling fabric. But the impact was immense, she reacted quickly and her hands grabbed the material before she could be thrown back. And additionally, something held her tightly. She looked up and gasped in the face of Severus Snape.

The girl, no, woman, was smaller than he had guessed and she knocked the air out of his lungs when they collided in the corridor, just in front of the backdoor he had wanted to use. Out of instinct, he grabbed her and held her to his chest. His nose caught a sniff of the scent of her hair and he decided, subconsciously, to never forget that smell. Citrus, tangerine. Not at all what he had expected. He looked down, the mask of neutrality on his face and she stared up at him in utter shock. In that moment he knew she had figured it out. She seemed almost afraid.

He opened his mouth to speak but she scrambled out of the almost embrace and made a dash in the opposite direction, running away from him.

Severus closed his eyes for a moment. So that was it. She was shocked and afraid by the thought that they were part of that prophecy together. That someone had predicted their being together. She was so appalled by him and the thought of him. He shrugged, ignoring whatever feeling it was that constricted his chest and quickly left the castle.

.

The young Transfiguration Mistress arrived in her chambers faster than she thought and she slammed the door shut, and threw herself on her bed, the smell of his robes still on her mind. Thyme. Rosemary. He had smelled like a herbal garden with something distinctly masculine about it. And the robes had been so soft, his arms so strong around her.

"Damn.", she muttered and hit her pillow with her fist when she realized what she had done. She had run from him and she was certain now he knew it was her, he had certainly glimpsed into her mind and she hadn't done anything to prevent him from doing it. "Stupid, stupid, stupid.", she cried out. She scrunched up the pillow, hitting it once or twice more with her fist and then buried her face in it. She screamed into it.

He must have known before that it was her. That's why he had talked to her. Pity. The poor girl, left by her two best friends and he talked to her out of pity.

Somewhere in the back of her head she knew it was completely irrational, that her thoughts, for once, didn't make sense but she was certain Severus could never be interested in her. She wasn't beautiful. She was bright, yes, intelligent, a bookworm. But men never wanted this. Men didn't want intelligent women. Or at least not her. Nobody had ever really wanted her.

She cried into her pillow, knowing that all she did at the moment was pitying herself. But it was right and felt good.

.

Minerva clapped her hands in glee and smiled up at the man who had been her lover for over forty years. "Can you get Lux, please?", she asked gently.

"I'm already here, dear.", Lux appeared at the right corner of the portrait, blowing Minerva a kiss and kissing Albus on the cheek.

"And?", Albus asked with a twinkle in his eye. "I know the look on your face, Minerva."

"She found out.", Minerva grinned happily.

"Finally.", Lux sighed. "And?"

"Astounded. And then she ran away."

"She ran away?"

Minerva nodded slowly. "She just took off. She thought it was me in the prophecy."

Albus laughed heartily and Lux grinned again. "My Minerva and that boy?", he chuckled. "No."

Minerva rolled her eyes but a moment later, she winked up at him and smiled lovingly.

"Minnie, does he know she knows?", Lux asked.

"Minnie?", Albus almost choked on a lemon drop he had popped into his mouth and Lux clapped his back in the painting. "She's allowed to call you Minnie?"

"Albus, please.", Minerva groaned. "That's hardly the issue now."

"Minnie?", Albus repeated. "For decades I wanted to give you a pet name. Anything. And you hit me with a jelly-legs jinx every time I even tried."

"Albus, please.", Minerva urged but Lux interrupted her.

She lay a gently hand on his arm. "Albus, I've known Minerva for a long time. Long before you knew her. I've known her as a child when Quintus and me would visit her home and her parents. I've called her Minnie ever since. You can't get that habit out of an old woman. When you met her, she already hated that name and she nagged at her parents about it, nagged at Quintus and nagged at me." Lux shrugged and looked apologetically at the former Headmaster and then his lover. "I'm sorry."

Albus glared at Minerva but the twinkle that had disappeared for a moment could be seen in his eyes again. "We'll talk about that later."

"Let me through, for Merlin's sake.", a strange voice came from the portrait of Armando Dippet, who moaned and groaned.

Gundorf the Grumpy suddenly appeared in Albus painting as well, causing him to mutter. "It's getting too crowded in here."

"Did something happen, Gundorf?", Minerva asked gently.

"Professor Granger is crying and screaming.", he informed the two people in the portrait and the Headmistress.

Lux sighed and nodded at Minerva. "Lead the way, Gundorf.", she nudged him and with a wave of her hand, disappeared.

"Minnie, Minerva?", Albus asked again and Minerva groaned, flopping quite disgracefully into her chair.

.

"Thanks, Gundorf.", Lux said softly. "Would you…"

"I'll go visit my cousin.", Gundorf grumped and left the painting again.

"Hermione!", Lux called. "Hermione!"

Hermione wiped the tears from her face and followed the voice of Severus' grandmother. She could trust her and she hoped that she wouldn't tell her grandson about her. She straightened her robes and sniffing slightly, pulled up a chair and squatted in front of the portrait.

"Hello Misses Prince.", Hermione said, sniffing again.

"Oh dear.", she replied compassionately. "Call me Lux, won't you please?"

Hermione nodded and gave the older woman a weak, watery smile.

"Why are you crying?"

"It's me. In the prophecy. It's me.", Hermione hiccupped.

"I'd love to say I told you so but it's not going to help, is it?"

Hermione shook her head. "He doesn't want me anyway.", she mumbled.

"What?", Lux was surprised. There was this young woman who really thought her grandson didn't want her. "That's ridiculous."

Hermione shook her head again and fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

"Do you want him?", Lux asked softly.

"I don't know.", she said weakly. "I really don't. It's new but…I…no, Severus hated me when I was in school here."

Lux laughed quietly. "I can't believe that. Severus doesn't hate easily. Especially not someone with your brains, dearie."

"But…he only talked to me during lunch because he knew from you that Harry and Ron forgot about me."

"From me?", Lux asked but quickly understood. Her grandson and his Legilimency. "Ah, yes. Sorry I told him."

Hermione shrugged her shoulders again. "He pities me.", she began to cry in earnest again and Lux knew that she couldn't achieve much with talking. "I'll be back in a flash", Lux added and disappeared for a moment.

.

"Besides, you called me plenty of nicknames.", Minerva argued.

"Name one."

"Tabby. Kitten. Sweetie. Lemon Drop."

Albus chuckled. "Right. That was during our holiday in Italy."

Minerva sighed happily. "See? I let you call me a lot of things. Just never Minnie."

"But why not, my darling?", he knew he provoked her with something like that.

"Darling.", she grunted. "Because, sweetheart, my father called me that, my mother called me that. It was the name of my childhood. And when we, uh, got together, I was too young to want to be reminded of my childhood."

"But…", Albus started.

"I was 17, Albus. I was your student.", she said earnestly. "It was the last thing I wanted. To be called by the same name as I was by my father."

"Especially since I was as old as your father.", he nodded understandingly. "You could have told me."

She smiled a little sadly. "I should have, my love.", she said quietly.

He shook his head and both sat in companionable silence for a moment until they were rudely interrupted again.

"Minnie, you need to go and see her.", Lux panted it in the portrait. "She's crying her eyes out and thinks Severus doesn't want her."

Minerva rolled her eyes but got up groaningly. She sighed, then rushed to her Deputy's chambers.

.

Severus made his way quickly to an apothecary in Diagon Alley. He could just as well restock his lab while he got some fresh air. She had smelled wonderful. And she had been so soft the few moments she was in his arms. A perfect fit. He bet, when she wore no shoes, her chin would fit perfectly on her head.

'Stop it, idiot.', he told himself silently and strode through the Alley, ignoring the glances he got from people. 'She hates you. She yells at you.', a voice in his head told him suddenly.

He rolled his eyes more at himself and when he focused again, he saw an unruly mop of dark hair and a red-head. He slowly followed them. The dunderheads letting a lovely girl like Hermione down.

'Where did that come from?', the voice in his head asked him.

'Oh shut up.', he argued back to the voice and with his hand on his wand, pushed through the crowd, content that both heads were so easily distinguished.

.

Minerva used her central password and pushed the door to Hermione's chambers open. The girl, quite uncharacteristically, crouching on a chair, her knees drawn to her nose, rocking gently back and forth.

"Oh my girl, what happened?", Minerva rushed to her side and, bending down, gathered the girl into her arms.

Hermione allowed her Headmistress to hold her and after a few minutes, she pulled away. "I behave like a bloody teenager."

"Oh, Hermione.", Minerva laughed softly. "Tell me what happened."

"He's talking to me out of pity. He calls me girl. And he doesn't like me. And I had the worst dream, or the best dream about him and me and we had a baby together and it was wonderful and he loved me and the dream was lovely and it will never be like this.", she replied rapidly.

Minerva's head was spinning for a moment. "You heard the prophecy."

"She was probably just into the cooking sherry again.", Hermione sniffed and nodded gratefully when Hermione handed her a tartan handkerchief. She blew her nose and dabbed her eyes.

"Severus never talks to anyone out of pity. He despises pity. He would never pity anyone, just as he doesn't want to be pitied. If he talked to you, he wanted to. And. We knocked the cooking sherry out of Sybill a while ago, remember?", she smiled tenderly at Hermione. "Give it time. He's new. Talk to him. Give him a chance to get to know you."

"But I'm not sure that I want that.", she frowned.

"That's between you and yourself, dear.", Minerva pulled her tighter into a hug again and winked at Lux who had appeared in the portrait again.

.

Of course they would go into the Quidditch Supply Store. Of course. Stupid boys. Boys! Severus snorted to himself. They had never appreciated that they could have gone nowhere without Hermione and that they're life would be infinitely more boring without her in it. And he would make damn sure that she wouldn't be in their lives anymore. That, he owed her.

'Why?', the voice in his head asked.

'Oh, shut up.', he replied to the voice for the umpteenth time that day and, as if he wanted to make sure the voice in his head understood, he gripped the wand tightly and when he saw the two boys emerging from the store again, he pulled it slowly out and pointed it first at Potter, then at the Weasley. He only muttered but saw immediately the effect and with a broad smirk, apparated.

_**.**_


	16. XV

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_._**

_Ronald Weasley and the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice hit with mystery jinx_

_Yesterday, in broad daylight under the scrutiny of three dozen innocent wizards and witches, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley were hit by a mystery jinx by an unknown stranger. The effect was immediate and both of them were taken to St Mungo's for examination. Unfortunately, there is nothing at the moment the Healers can do for the Saviour of the Wizarding World as we know it and his best friend._

_The jinx itself has the effect that both are quite and utter bald and so far, no hair-growing tonic, counter-curse or any other thing the Healers have tried has worked. We here at the Daily Prophet want to express our concerns about the quality of Healers at St Mungo's and our best wished for Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. _

_Coincidentally, reliable sources tell The Daily Prophet that also Severus Snape, allegedly reformed Death Eater and spy for the Order of the Phoenix had been in the vicinity of our two war heroes and we cannot help but wonder if he was in some way involved. _

_Severus Snape is back at employment at Hogwarts, another reliable source told us. It was kept tightly under the wraps by the Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, possibly in order to stop parents from pulling their children out of school._

_Turn to page 6 for the full story of Severus Snape's involvement in the Second War against He-who-must-not-be-named and his disappearance since then._

Severus slammed the paper on the table. Typical for those boys – everything they did had to be in the paper. And of course, once again, there was an inside story on him. Of course a very true, reliable account on his life. Lily would be dragged through the mud again, and there would be tons of speculation on him again. He rolled his eyes but quickly, remembering where he was, let his eyes roam the Great Hall. He had decided on a whim to get up there for breakfast, to probably see how she was. But of course, he was way too early on that Monday morning. Nobody but him would eat there before six in the morning.

He picked up the paper again, and perused it. Odd. Truly odd. Usually it was always her that was prominently featured. And now, not one word. The Weasley boy was called Potter's best friend and she wasn't even mentioned. The thought of their complete baldness however brought a smirk to his face. 6 months they would have to live with that. Probably 8. He had been a bit forceful.

He sipped his tea and flipping the paper open to read the story of his life once again (in the five and a half years since the Final Battle he had been spotted in Columbia trafficking drugs, in Brazil dancing with those half naked girls at the Rio Carnival, had apparently climbed the Mount Everest, lived with Aborigines in Australia and was a professional Mafia killer in Italy), he failed to notice that Hermione walked in with Minerva's arm on her back. He didn't know that neither women had slept much but had talked with Lux, and the two real women had drunk hot chocolate and Minerva and Lux had done everything in their power to make Hermione feel better about herself, build some self-confidence when it came to her personal life, her social life and not only her brains. It had only worked to some extent and it had been three by the time the Headmistress had gotten to bed and by five she had been woken up by her Deputy again, who seemed almost eager to start a new day, a strict expression on her face.

Severus had hidden behind the paper and so the first thing both women saw was the front page.

"What happened to Ron and Harry?", Hermione asked and rushed to the Head Table. Before she even noticed who was behind the paper, she had snatched it away, oblivious that Severus was staring up at her. She quickly scanned the article, her eyes widening.

"What is it, Severus?", Minerva asked quietly, looking in his scowling face.

"Apparently I'm torturing pupils with hot pokers in the dungeons again.", he drawled.

"I didn't mean that.", she sighed. "The front page."

"Oh, the Weasley boy and Potter. They were hit with a jinx, I believe. They're bald."

"What?", Minerva gasped. She looked intently in his face and there was nothing but blankness. No sneer, no smirk. "What did you use?", she asked softly.

"Me?", Severus replied immediately. "I don't know whatever gave you that idea."

She nodded and raised her eyebrows ironically. Her smile was only tiny, her lips thin but the condescending look in her eyes gave her away.

"I'll talk to Lux about that.", she said simply and moved to sit next to Hermione who had just sat down next to Severus.

The young woman read the article twice, then looked up.

"Were you in Diagon Alley yesterday?", she asked.

Severus nodded slowly but said nothing.

"Was it you?", she asked again, her voice gentle and calm.

Once again, he said nothing and his face was kept neutral.

Her thoughts were whirring. Of course it had been him. Nobody but him had a reason to throw a hex at the two of them. Nobody but him hated Harry's hair that much. And after Lux and Minerva talking so much about him last night, only good things, she was almost convinced that he would do something like that. Almost. He was nice. He was protecting her. And he made their life miserable because they had made her miserable. She flashed him a little smile which he responded to with a scowl.

"Was it you, Severus?", she asked again and after the shock almost registered on his face, he rolled his eyes and they hardened somewhat.

"I don't think I gave you permission to call me by my first name.", he snapped.

"You called me Hermione yesterday. I thought it was only fair.", she swallowed hard, trying to hide her feelings of hurt.

He looked at her, trying to hide his surprise. So she had paid attention. "Alright."

"Alright? What does that mean?", she snapped back.

"You may call me Severus if you must.", he drawled and moved to stand up. Hermione held his wrist for a moment and he looked at her with his eyebrows raised to new heights. "Yes?", he spat.

"Thank you for doing this for me, Severus.", she looked in his eyes and tried to convey with them how she meant it, that she really meant it, that she was honest. That she understood that he had hexed the two because they had hurt her. And he understood how they had hurt her. But still. They had probably learned their lesson by now.

"I beg your pardon?", he asked trying to sound confused.

"The jinx.", she smiled. "Thank you for that.", she looked into his dark eyes and saw something like recognition in them. Or maybe he was just making fun of her. But she needed to say one more thing. "Could you brew a potion that could help them with their hair? I think they learned their lesson."

Severus jerked his wrist away that he only noticed now she was still holding and glared down at her. "I beg your pardon? Why should I help them."

She sighed and still looked up at him as he was towering over her. "I know you know they hurt me and you got back at them. I am grateful. But they will make the headlines every day with something like that. And St Mungo's will suffer because they can't help them."

Severus loomed over her, only bending down slightly, then, with a sudden movement stood erect, but looked down at her. His eyes had grown hard, his hands clutched to fists at his sides. He spoke softly but used the same voice that had made her scared during her first years at school. "Listen to me carefully, girl. You are stupid if you think I will help them after _someone_ hexed them. And what's worse, you are even more stupid when you care. Hermione, understand that. They don't care about you anymore. They forgot about you. And you're still trying to help them. Why, Hermione, why? They used you all those years at school. You solved my puzzle in your first year, you set me on fire, stopping Quirrell from jinxing Potter, you brewed Polyjuice and went to the Hospital Wing for Merlin knows how long because they needed your help, you used your Time Turner illegally because you needed to save his godfather, you helped him in the Triwizard Tournament and yes, it was the Weasley boy he had to save in the lake, not you, you risked your bloody life for him because he misinterpreted a vision he had, and he could have never hunted the Horcruxes without you. And he simply let you down. Tell me, Hermione – how often in the last six months did he talk to you? I could do the same list with the Weasley but worse than Potter, he pawed you as well, and he watched you since second year and never dared to tell you. Tell me again, why do you want to help them. Again?"

He left her with her mouth open, his robes billowing, as usual, behind him, his wand drawn to open the doors more easily and didn't notice Minerva poking her in the ribs, and whispering. "Go after him. That's the proof you needed, dear."

Hermione nodded dumbstruck and ran after him.

Minerva grinned to herself and made her way to her office. Those were news for Albus and Lux.

.

He rushed to his private chambers and heard the footsteps behind him but instead of looking back or slowing down, he walked faster. That girl always had to have the last word and he was sure it was her. How could he have been so stupid to give away that he had been watching her? He needed to get to his rooms before she found out where exactly they were but the girl was fast.

He tapped his wand against the wall and his door became visible. She was still behind him, he knew but as long as she didn't cry out for him.

As soon as he had finished the thought, and as soon as he wanted to step in his sitting room, she did indeed call out to him. "Severus, stop. Please!"

He groaned and wanted to slam the door shut but she had put her foot inside already and pushed. If he manhandled her, he would never hear the end of it from his grandmother, so he simply stepped away and she fell quite unceremoniously into his room. Scrambling up, she glared at him for only a moment.

He smirked and moved across the room, used to the piles of books on the floor. She obviously wasn't.

"Severus, thank you. Really. But…", she was stopped as she stumbled over a pile of potion magazines that lay next to his favourite chair but she caught herself. "Do you ever clean up down here? Don't you have an house elf?"

"I do, actually. But she's told to keep her fingers away from my books and journals.", he looked at her, the amusement showing plainly on his face.

She straightened her robe and stepping over another pile of books, she came to a halt in front of him. "Why are you so nice to me?", she asked softly.

"Uh…", he looked into her big brown eyes and was lost for an answer.

"You hex them, you tell me that basically they couldn't have survived without me and that I should stop helping them. Why?"

He looked at her and gripped his robes by his sides to stop himself from brushing a tendril of hair behind her ear. He cleared his throat and looked away for a moment before he focused on her eyes again, all thought of Legilimency forgotten long before. "They don't deserve you. Your too bright, too smart, too good for them.", he whispered.

That was all the encouragement she needed and she closed the distance between them. Gently bringing her hands up to his chest, she stood on tiptoes. "Don't move.", she whispered back and moved her hands from his chest up to his shoulders and around his neck. She bit her lower lip for a moment and Severus was mesmerized by the sight. Slowly, he bent down while she tilted her head up. Her lips touched his in the softest of brushes. Her eyes were closed and the moment, she pressed her mouth a little tighter on his, his fell shut as well. His arms, of their own accord of course, went to her back and held her tightly to himself while his lips, of their own accord of course, responded to hers.

Hermione gasped when she felt him responding and he used the split second her mouth was open to slip his tongue into it and hers tangled with his after only a moment. He explored her mouth with a fervour he didn't remember ever having, his hands exploring her back at the same time, while his brain had seemed to stop working completely. He only registered the warm, soft body in his arms, pressed against him, the finger tangled in his hair and the tongue that caressed his with zeal. His lungs burned but this kiss – it was too good to break and he didn't even care at this moment, or didn't think to care that he needed air to breath. The woman in his arms was enough to survive.

After all, it was him that broke the kiss, gasping wildly. He held her in his embrace for a moment, then let his arms drop to his sides.

_**.**_


	17. XVI

**_The usual disclaimers apply_**

.

Severus' grandmother had to hold back on a cat-whistle. That was some kiss those two were sharing – hands roaming possessively, bodies so close. Lux grinned happily and in glee, she skipped away. Minerva and Albus had to hear this.

Hermione smiled tenderly up at Severus and she caressed his cheek with her thumb. Breathlessly, she whispered: "Thank you. That was the best thing that could have happened in this situation."

Severus stiffened. "You silly, foolish, sentimental girl.", he spat and stepped far away from her.

"Severus…? What?", she gasped. The most wonderful kiss of her life and now this? Why was he pushing her away when she had obviously enjoyed it. And when he had so obviously enjoyed it. Hell, she had never been kissed like this. Never!

"You heard me.", he said with venom in his voice. "Foolish and sentimental."

"But…I thought that…"

"You thought wrong!", he shouted.

"Apparently.", she said quietly and she ran out of the room, not caring that she destroyed the perfect order of the stack of books on his floor. Before she left his quarters completely, she looked over her shoulder back at him. "Bloody bastard!"

Severus ran his fingers through his hair and let out a guttural sound that he hadn't even known he could make. 'Well done.', the voice in his head commented sarcastically.

"Yes.", he replied aloud and ran his tongue over his lips. Her taste still lingered there, a blend of tea and her toothpaste, he suspected. Minty. He smacked his lips before he could stop himself and fingered his cheek where she had touched him. "Bugger.", he sighed, then quickly looked up. He had completely forgotten about his grandmother. Imagine that – kissing just before his grandmother's eyes. And of course she wasn't there. Probably had gone to report the events to Albus and Minerva. The meddling old fools. They had pushed him towards Hermione. It was their fault it had happened the way it had.

And they had probably pushed her in his direction – why else should she want to kiss him other than because of her gratitude that someone, other than the dunderheaded duo, had stood up for her. There was no other explanation. She would have stayed, they would have probably gone farther but simply because she was grateful, because she noticed that there was a modicum of humanity in him after all. No, Severus Snape didn't need this. There was a way to show gratitude and throwing herself at him was completely beneath her.

Severus pulled his pocket-watch out and growled. And he would be late for his first class of the day because of her.

.

Hermione wanted to run to her quarters but on the way there, she almost literally stumbled over Filius Flitwick.

"Are you alright, Hermione?", the small, ancient man asked gently.

"Fine.", she replied testily.

"Don't you have a class now? If you don't…", he never managed to end his request as she dashed away, cursing silently. Of course he had made her almost forget about her classes. She surprised herself by being more angry than sad. Maybe she had been too sad the day before. And of course he had pushed her away. Or maybe she wasn't good enough for him. Someone who could kiss like that certainly had a lot of experience with women. Not like her.

Studies had kept her busy and during the time she had been with Ron, Molly had kept too close a watch to let anything happen between the two of them except a bit of more or less clumsy fumbling. And after Ron, well, there simply hadn't been anyone. First the apprenticeship, then at Hogwarts and well, Hogwarts wasn't full of eligible young bachelors. Fiesco was an idiot and much like Ron sometimes, too slow on the uptake, too daft. Mills, she had never figured out. He was a muggle-born like her and seemed to follow David Beckham's fashion escapades quite happily. Not her type and much too shallow. And with a different witch every weekend if the rumours were true.

So okay – she could do well without a man by her side. It didn't matter. It would only be distracting. Hell, even Severus had distracted her.

She pushed the door open and let it fall shut with a bang. Her first years jumped out of their seats and she rolled her eyes only slightly.

"Page 37. Now!", she bellowed. "Read the chapter, then transfigure the inkwell into a quill." Quite a few pupils were looking at her in shock and she, who never lost her patience quickly, glared. "NOW!"

"Professor Granger?", a hand shot in the air.

"Yes?", she asked impatiently.

"Do you want our essays on the pincushions now or later?"

"Put them on your desk, I'll get them then.", she shook her head and turned around to walk to her desk.

"Professor Granger?", another small voice asked.

"What?", she snarled.

"I couldn't write the essay because…"

"What's my rule in this classroom? 10 points from Slytherin, Mister Fellowes.", she looked around the class. "Anyone else?"

Two more hands shot in the air. "10 points from each."

"But Professor Granger, you didn't give us the chance to say before class. You just came in.", one of them protested.

"Then you should have waited at my desk as I told you.", she argued back. "5 points. For speaking out of turn, Miss Charles."

The little Gryffindor bit her lip and glared at her instructor. "Silence!", Hermione roared. "Work!"

.

Severus opted for a dramatic entrance rather than coming in silently. He banged the door and his robes billowed strikingly behind him. "Non-verbal accio. No need to speak. Obviously.", he declared in walking in to his sixth year class.

A hand shot in the air just as soon as he had reached his desk and turned around to lean against it and observed his class. "Miss Butler. Do you have any trouble understanding such simple instruction?", he drawled at the Ravenclaw. He had noticed her the week before. Another little, know-it-all. Like…

'Don't think about her.', he instructed himself, and glared at the sixth year. She waved her hand in the air now, probably afraid of speaking out of turn. "Say it.", he spat impatiently.

"We never even covered the theory of non-verbal spells and shouldn't we be doing that before?", she asked, slowly lowering her arm.

"Miss Butler", he drawled. "I bet you have read everything about the theory already and if you look at the blackboard, there a few very simple instructions on it. 10 points off Ravenclaw for speaking out of turn."

"But Professor…"

"And another 10 points."

She waved her hand in the air again. So much like her. So much. He would have to check if they were distant relations or something. "Miss Butler – do you want to lose another 10 points? We can make it 15. Or twenty."

Her waving didn't stop and Severus rolled his eyes. "Don't you understand me? Are you hard of hearing? I will not accept that. Mills might have, I don't. 10 points – for being disrupting the lesson by your incessant hand-waving and know-it-better-attitude."

There was a gasp in the class and Severus glared. "Now. Continue. Or begin."

.

By the end of the day, Severus had taken 40 points from Slytherin, 65 from Gryffindor, 20 from Hufflepuff and a record 70 from Ravenclaw. They just waved their hands too much in the air. He had handed out 9 detentions, all to be served with Filch.

By the end of the day, Hermione had taken 75 points from Slytherin, 45 from Gryffindor, 40 from Hufflepuff and 35 from Ravenclaw. She had handed out 12 detentions. All to be served with Hagrid.

.

"Lux, was is that now? I thought you said they were kissing this morning?", Minerva complained coming into her office.

"They did.", Lux grinned happily.

"Then why are the pupils running along the corridors completely in fear and Filch and Hagrid are complaining that both of them handed out too many detentions?"

"I don't understand.", Albus shook his head.

"Oh Merlin, I bet something happened. They were both mean?", Lux asked curiously.

"It's quite funny, actually. Both took 195 points. Hermione handed out more detentions but she send them to Hagrid, not Filch. And neither appeared at dinner."

"I'll go.", she sighed.

"We'll be waiting.", Albus and Minerva groaned in unison.

Lux hurried along the corridors and decided to check on Hermione first. The girl had been so sad the day before. Severus would simply drink a bit and smash a few glasses if something had happened. Hermione was the one to worry about. "Gundorf, is she here?", she asked pantingly.

"Hasn't been here all day."; he shrugged his shoulders but Lux had already left again, back to her own portrait.

.

Severus sat in his living room, sorting his books. He needed to do something. The tumbler full of liquor was always close at hand. He needed the drink. He needed to forget the feeling of her soft lips against his and her small hands in his hair. He had showered, had tried to wash the horribly wonderful feeling away, but nothing had helped, the pressure he had felt on his lips, her fingernails against his scalp – it was all there, branded in his memory. Like her scent.

"Severus!", his grandmother's breathing was ragged.

"Grandma Lux, are you alright?", he asked, not realizing that his question was completely irrational. Portraits did not die of heart failure. Portraits couldn't die.

"What happened between you and Hermione?", she asked, leaning against the chair and breathed deeply.

"I should have known.", he barked and stepped forcefully towards the portrait, lifted it off the hook and turned it around, letting his grandmother face the wall.

"Severus!", she cried, her voice softened by the wall.

"Bugger it.", he mumbled and picked up a stack of books and, after entering his bedroom, warded to door. He had never wanted to be alone more in his life.

.

Hermione groaned as she heard the portrait. "Lux Prince asked after you.", his tone was unnerved.

"Bugger it.", she spoke very softly and lifted the portrait off its hook and turned it around, letting it face the wall.

"Professor Granger, I must…", Gundorf's voice was muffled against the wall and Hermione send a quick silencing spell in the portrait's direction before she went to her bedroom, a few books in her arms. She warded her door heavily and sent another spell warding the floo for the first time since she had come to teach. She didn't want to see anyone or speak to anyone. She had never wanted to be alone more in her life.

.

"That was a complete waste of effort and time.", Lux complained, panting again and leaning on Albus for support.

"What happened?", both asked again at the same time and Minerva sent the portrait of her former lover and Headmaster a critical glare.

"Severus had a face like thunder, took my portrait and turned it around. Hermione first wasn't in her rooms, then Gundorf told her that I was looking for her and she turned the portrait around as well.", Lux complained.

Minerva exhaled with a hiss but Albus smiled a little. "Maybe Sybill should make another prophecy."

_**.**_


	18. XVII

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_._**

A week passed and Severus never showed his face at breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Great Hall. He never attended a single staff meeting. He actually did not see another teacher. Not even Fiesco. Despite the fact that he knew that The Fiasco would be able to actually kill a pupil with his incompetence, he stayed away. There was no way he wanted to see Granger. Well, he did see her. He watched her. But he had been a spy for Dumbledore. A spy for the Order. He could make himself invisible if he wanted to. And he did just that.

She looked miserable – he saw that. But maybe she felt as if she had betrayed anyone. Kissing the greasy bat of the dungeons, kissing the git, kissing him. She was clearly ashamed and it was weighing on her mind. Why had he reacted to it he didn't know. No. No. That wasn't true. He knew.

A small vial of Amortentia told him.

And that knowledge made him want to dig a hole in the ground. So deep that he would come out in Australia again. No. That wouldn't do. Her parents were in Australia.

The Amortentia smelled like her. There was no denying that. Idiotic, dunderheaded thing to do, to test himself with the blasted potion. But he had and it hadn't worked out the way he had wanted it to. It should have smelled like tea and his potions lab. But no. Tea, his potions lab and her hair.

But what good could it do? She didn't like him. She was pitying him. She was grateful and that was it.

The girl who could have every single wizard in the world wouldn't want him. Not for the right reasons anyway. No, one of these days he would finally stop watching her and then, when he would pour some, no, most, of his energy into finding out whatever had befallen the former Defence teacher and then he would leave Hogwarts again. And her. He would just go and forget about her and read in the paper about Hermione Granger, the great things she could achieve, and there would certainly be in item in the Prophet about her marrying. He would know about her and she would be okay. She would find someone who protected, who kept her safe like she deserved.

During the second week, he tried to stop himself from watching her. And he succeeded. Well, almost. He only saw her three times on that Friday and on Saturday and Sunday, she was gone. And because Severus was too proud and too annoyed to talk to anyone, he didn't know where she had gone. Hopefully not to the Burrow.

Monday, the first day of the third week, she was back at breakfast and didn't seem happier and Snape still lurked in the doorways and watched her. And made sure she came to her rooms safely when she was on rounds. That was all he could do for her.

.

A week passed and Hermione certainly didn't feel like eating in the Great Hall but as Deputy Headmistress, even if it was just temporary, she felt it her duty to be seen at least during one meal. She usually chose lunch. He was never eating lunch there. Minerva was a problem with her incessant asking but the young woman simply chose to ignore her for a while even though that only worked for about three days. Afterwards they talked about professional things – but Hermione refused to answer any question about her or Severus. His name, in fact, was a taboo. She tried to walk past his classroom more often than was strictly necessary, but he could never be seen. Once she heard his voice lecturing his class about grindylows and a sudden tingly feeling attacked her and she rushed away.

During the second week, she noticed that he never went to meals and so she did. And somehow, she wanted to see him, even if she did not admit it to herself nor anyone else. In that week, she decided that she needed to get away for a weekend. Fortunately, she had an aunt of her mother's in Ireland. Said aunt didn't like Hermione much – especially since she did not know that Hermione was a witch and disliked teachers though Merlin only knew why – but since her parents were in Australia, she visited the mean old lady once in a while. And that weekend would be good for it. She was grumpier then ever after it though – after two days of constant nagging and questioning and criticizing - and on that Monday, she returned with a very dark mood, ready to take more points from students.

Between the two of them, the four houses of Hogwarts had lost 2860 points in total and 78 pupils had gotten one or more detentions. And that (together with a couple of other facts) would get them into Hogwarts: A History many years later.

.

The olden trio, as Lux had dubbed her, Minerva and Albus as a joke, didn't have one single idea how to get to either Severus or Hermione. The portraits were still, despite the help of house elves, facing the wall and both dodged questions quite well. Severus by mere absence and Hermione by not answering them. In the end, however, it wasn't them that brought Severus and Hermione together in one room again.

.

Ever since her husband and brother had come home from a trip to Diagon Alley with no single hair on their heads – and coincidentally, though the papers did not report that, any other part of their bodies – Ginny had nagged at them. She had sent them to healers and even tried to do a little research on her own but nothing had worked. She didn't know who had done it and she didn't care but it seemed odd somehow, that it had happened so quickly after Hermione had been to see them. And she did guess that it was somehow connected, after all, they had forgotten about her. Not that Ginevra Potter was sorry about that – Professor Granger wasn't her best friend, had never been and would never be. For that, they were too different and what, besides Ron, Harry and the fight against Voldemort did they have in common? Ginny wanted children, Hermione would most likely die an old spinster after she had dumped Ron. And using such excuses for doing it, saying that they didn't want the same things in life. He was really lucky that he had found Nadeshda, who, despite the fact that she couldn't speak English properly, gave Ron the family that he had wanted and went to official functions with him without complaining. Somehow, Ginny doubted that Hermione would have done the same. Certainly not, she would have argued and not been a good wife.

Still, she hated to have Harry hairless and forced him, who in turn forced Ron to go and see Hermione and apologize. Hopefully he would get his full hair back then. Only Ginny knew what he could do with it.

Besides, she wanted it done before Christmas and that was, after all, just two weeks away and Merlin only knew where Hermione spent the holidays. And more than that – Molly would give her hell if there was still discord between the three of them over Christmas, as her mother somehow thought it was her responsibility to keep peace in the family. Only, Hermione wasn't family. Not in Ginny's opinion. She had given that chance away when she hadn't stayed with Ron.

They gave in three weeks after there had been the item, no, the front page in the Daily Prophet and together, apparated to the gates of Hogwarts, then walked in.

"She should be at Great Hall, right?", Harry asked Ron.

Ron grinned. "I could go for a little house elf breakfast meself."

They laughed and quickly made their way to the Great Hall. There were only a few pupils around and those that looked up stared in wonder at the great Harry Potter and his best friend Ronald Weasley without any hair but those two looked at the Head Table immediately and both were grateful that not only Hermione was there but also McGonagall. If their friend's temper flared, there would be a rescue nearby. Neither of them understood that Minerva was completely on Hermione's side and would not defend the two.

They strode to the front and smiled boyishly, standing next to Hermione.

"Good morning.", they said together.

"Morning.", Hermione grumped.

"Good morning you two!", Minerva said friendly, "What brings you here?"

Ron simply pointed at his and Harry's head.

"Oh, that.", Minerva hid her grin behind her teacup while Hermione raised her eyebrows simply and picked up the Daily Prophet. "I must remember to ask for that jinx.", she muttered, earning her a nudge from Hermione.

"Do you know who cast it?", Harry asked temperamentally.

"Me? No.", Minerva shrugged her shoulders.

"Why would you have said it then?", Ron asked fiery.

"Show her some respect, Ron!", Hermione admonished.

Ron looked at Harry, then they both looked at her former friend. "Did you do it?"

"Of course she didn't.", Minerva interrupted, shaking her head violently.

"I can't believe you would think such a thing.", Hermione looked at them, the sadness of the last few weeks rolling over her again and she fought hard to keep from running. That, or punching both in the face.

"Who then?", Ron spat.

Harry instead just looked at both teachers, then something clicked in his mind. "Snape. He was seen. He's here again. He's hated us on sight.

"Bat.", Ron shouted and pulled out his wand. "Come on, Harry."

Harry nodded forcefully and pulled out his wand as well. "Let's go."

"Go? Where?", Minerva tried to hold them back.

"Just a little revenge.", Ron replied and together with his best friend, went out of the Great Hall, directly to the Defence against the Dark Arts Classroom, without really thinking. They knew Snape was always early in preparing things.

Minerva looked to her side to talk to Hermione but somehow, she had gone already and she only noticed robes flying at the end of the Great Hall. She sat down and hoped that this was the moment, the opportunity, her and Severus needed.

.

"YOU!", Harry yelled, after seeing Snape sitting at the desk in the classroom.

Severus gripped his wand and stood up rapidly the second he saw the two bald heads, the bald face, sans eyebrows and lashes and couldn't suppress a smirk.

"Mister Potter. Mister Weasley.", he drawled. "How nice to see you again.", he added sarcastically and all three of them had their wands pointed at each other.

The door flew open again while the three glared at each other, neither saying a word, nor hexing one another. "Stop that!", Hermione shouted and quickly moved between them, standing proudly just in front of Severus. "Lower the wands! Now!", she continued in her teaching voice and both Harry and Ron did as they were told and only Severus took a moment longer.

Of course, he was slightly distracted now that she stood so close to him, her back was even touching his chest. But only slightly. And probably only because she was breathing so rapidly.

Completely irrationally, he bent forward slightly and without thinking, brought both of his hands up to her waist and held her there. "Are you alright?", he asked gently.

She was unable to speak for a moment, his hands burning her waist but those felt so right there. She could feel his chest against her back and would have stepped forward but found herself unable to move. She nodded. "I'm fine. Are you?", she asked again, looking slightly back.

"Do you really think those two could harm me?", he drawled sneeringly.

"Oi!", Ron yelled. "Keep your paws to yourself."

"Right!", Harry nodded viciously. "Fingers off her!"

"I think you'll find that you have no right to tell Professor Granger who's allowed to touch her and who isn't."

"Hermione!", both shouted and Harry pulled his wand out again.

"Stop it. He can touch me all he likes.", she cried, unable to even tell where that had come from. But it was true. He could touch her all he liked. To emphasize her point, she softly put her hands on his that were still on her waist. Severus' breath hitched in his throat but somehow, his body reacted and he slowly, and tauntingly, brushed her hands across her stomach until his fingers touched in front and at the same time, splayed almost possessively across her belly. Hermione fought hard against the blush and she found herself not only unable to do that but also unable to hold herself back from leaning more fully against him.

"Are you mad, 'Mione?", Harry asked.

"My name is Hermione.", she spat and glared at them. "And I'm most certainly not mad.". She decided on the spur of the moment and decided that, for once and all, she could pay them back, in her own way. She turned slightly around and faced Severus. All of the anguish over the past weeks were forgotten when he looked at her with those black, deep, smouldering eyes that seemed to bore into her but at the same time displayed a gentleness and a warmth she had never seen in them before. Well, she had. A moment before they had kissed.

"Do you think I'm mad, Severus?", she asked softly, tenderly and brought her hand up to his cheek.

"Of course you're not.", he reacted quickly and understood what she was doing. But in her eyes was more than torturing her friends. He fixed her with his gaze and Hermione understood. She gave him a tiny nod and focused on him. It only took Severus a moment to see in her mind how much she actually enjoyed being in his arms and that she didn't do it merely to spite those two boys. "Well", he added softly, "a bit mad.", he smiled. For the first time, Hermione saw him smile. A crooked, lopsided smile but a smile nevertheless.

"I'm not mad.", she smiled and tilted her head up. Somehow, both of them had almost forgotten about Harry and Ron's presence.

"'Mione!", Ron shouted. "You and that…he hexed us."

"She told you before that her name was Hermione. Acknowledge that.", he pulled her a little tighter for a moment before he continued. "Your presence here is neither wanted nor needed.", Severus said sharply, not even thinking about letting go of the woman in his arms. "Get out before I throw you out."

Ron pulled out his wand quickly but Severus was even quicker. He had erected a shield around both of them with the wand in his right hand, holding Hermione with his left arm.

"Must I ask you to leave again?", Severus sounded bored. "Maybe this will make it easier: Nothing, absolutely nothing can reverse the jinx. But you wait 6 to 8 months and you'll get all your hair back."

Hermione looked up, quite surprised and bit her lip. He rubbed a large circle on her back and looked down in her face for a moment, then back up at the boys. "You're still here?"

Harry shook his head and pulled Ron by his sleeve. "You can forget about our friendship, Mione!", he spat the nickname and both left the office.

Hermione breathed deeply, then tried to pull back.

"Don't.", he whispered hoarsely. He couldn't fight that anymore. He needed to be with her, even if it meant ridicule from her after a while.

"What?", she asked. "I…"

He shook his head and cupped her cheek with his large hand. He tilted her head up again and lowered his and kissed her gently.

_**.**_


	19. XVIII

**_The usual disclaimers apply_**

.

It was Hermione who broke the kiss. She couldn't stop looking up at him again, with slightly glazed over eyes and she couldn't stop herself either from keeping her arms around his neck.

"Severus…", she began tentatively.

He looked deeply into her eyes. "What are we doing?", he asked.

"We kissed.", Hermione replied, laughing quietly.

Severus rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on her for a moment. He never even considered stepping away this time. "I know that. I didn't mean that."

She nodded slowly and pushed herself up on tiptoes to brush her lips softly against his. "So how long before either one of us is running away?", she commented sarcastically.

He snorted, and leaned down. "I saw into your mind.", he confessed, his lips against her cheek.

"I know. All this..", she hesitated, "you know, that we don't know what the other wants, it could be so easily avoided."

"I've looked before. When we talked."

She pressed her hands against his chest and pulled away from him but before she could say another word, he put a finger against her lips.

"I couldn't stop myself. I know it's a horrible excuse and I don't offer those anyway, but I wanted to see."

She pulled his hand from her face forcefully. "See what exactly, Severus? That I didn't know, don't know how I feel? That I was hurt when I thought it was another woman but me? That I never even considered you could be interested in me, because, let's face it, I'm bloody inexperienced, a bloody virgin.", she spat and tried to push him away.

He looked positively shocked but shook his head and pulled her back into his arms. "I only wanted to know whether you knew the prophecy was about you and me. But I saw the dream."

"You had no right to see that.", she blushed. "You had no right to look."

He nodded but again, offered no real apology. She struggled against the lock of his arms around her but he kept them firmly in place. Now that he knew she had honest feelings – whatever those were – about him, he wouldn't let her run away. "My grandfather's name was Quintus.", he said softly into her ear.

Her head flew back. "What?"

"That was the name of the child, wasn't it?"

Hermione sputtered and choked. "This is … I don't know what it is."

"Strange, weird, odd, take your pick.", his voice was so low, so deep that she could hear the rumble of it in his chest. "I don't believe in prophecies, Hermione."

"Me neither.", she interrupted.

"Yes, quite. But you see…"

"We can't just keep on kissing every time we see each other.", she interrupted again.

"Will you stop interrupting me, silly girl?", he said but his voice had a tone to it she had never heard.

She looked up and smiled. "I'm confused."

He nodded. "I'm not an easy man to be…"

"Oh, please.", she lifted her hand to his chest and rubbed a circle there, "let me interrupt just one more time. Don't give me that about not being easy to be with. Do you think I'm easy to be with? Can you guarantee this will work? Severus, we kissed twice. Now, even I am not as naïve as to think that this qualifies as a relationship."

"Relationship?", he swallowed. "D…I mean, A…", he stuttered.

"Severus Snape lost for words. I'll mark that red in my calendar.", she chuckled. "We don't even know if we're compatible."

"You and me, not compatible? Girl, you are the only one in this school, apart from Minerva, that I can actually talk to for more than five minutes without wanting to hex some bits off."

"Is that a compliment?", she asked, carefully putting her head on his chest.

"That's for you to figure out.", he put his chin on top of her head and took a deep breath. "Besides, have you seen the Houses hourglasses lately?"

She chuckled and the vibrations caused by that went straight to Severus' spine and other parts of his body. "I have.", she nodded. "Seems you and me were both a bit…"

"Quite. But I think you were worse for once."

"No."

"Yes, you were. 18 detentions in one class? I have never managed that."

"Slytherin. What could I do?"

"Taking it out on them again. You do know that I'm not their Head of House anymore, don't you?"

"I know."

"I went quite easy on Gryffindor."

"That's a relative term.", she laughed and carefully, as to not disturb him or hurt him physically, looked up. "Severus?"

"Hm?"

"Where do we go from here?"

He groaned. "Don't turn it into one of those talks. I don't think I'm comfortable with it."

"Don't we have to decide?"

"You want to analyse things again, don't you, know-it-all?", he kissed her lips quickly.

"It's not the worst thing."

"You won't make a list, will you?"

She shook her head. "I only want to know what I can expect. I want to know if I can turn around the portrait again and face your grandmother."

"You turned around the portrait?", he smirked.

"Yes, why?", she asked, stunned for a moment.

"I did the same thing. Grandma Lux will be furious."

Hermione laughed. "I guess so." She put her hand on the side of his neck and smiled a little. "And?"

"And? And what?"

"My question."

"Ah.", he seemed to think for a moment. "Well, I'm not sure what we can expect. But my class will be here in approximately five minutes and we can't just stand there."

"Oh Merlin.", she blushed. "I need to get to my classroom.", she struggled out of his embrace. "Will you come to lunch?"

Severus shook his head and her face fell. His lips quirked up in a smile and his eyes positively blazed. "But I'd like to have dinner with you tonight in my quarters."

"Really?", she asked, taken aback. "Your quarters."

"Well, you've been in them before.", he shrugged. "And we'll just have the portrait facing the wall for another evening."

"Really?"

He grimaced, then nodded. "Yes."

Hermione flew into his arms and Severus held her so tightly he lifted her off the ground. Their lips met in another sweet kiss until both pulled away, panting. He turned her around and whispered into her ear: "Don't be late."

_**.**_


	20. XIX

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

**_._**

Severus left the door to his quarters un-disillusioned. She knew where they were and she would be there soon. The house elves, well, Duffy, had prepared a lovely meal, and she had been told to keep any aphrodisiac out of it. No oysters, no asparagus. If it was true that she was a virgin – and Severus didn't doubt that for a moment – it wouldn't do to rush her or to make her feel like he was using her. No, he, Severus Snape, would do the honourable thing and wait until she was ready. That was certain. And he hadn't made his sitting room romantic either and Dobby was told not to do it. It was just the usual – even though he had put the stacks of books on the floor onto the shelves instead when he and Hermione had had that, well, misunderstanding, really. If he had seen that part of her mind, the part that was really interested in him – even though he still couldn't understand why – those two weeks wouldn't have been such hell.

Severus on the other hand didn't trust himself on such matters, but he did trust the Amortentia. And the potion he had made himself had revealed it. Hermione. Hermione Granger. Insufferable know-it-all. Gryffindor. And Severus liked her. Liked her a lot. The Amortentia said so. And – if he was completely honest with himself – his, what was it? His heart maybe? Told him so. When she had been in his arms, just seconds before the first pupils had arrived, he never wanted to let her go. And Severus – Merlin only knew – was more than confused. But time, five long years alone, had changed him. He wasn't craving company but hers was something else. The one girl who had always stood up to him, sort of. At least as a teacher. None of the Heads of Houses had complained about unfair point-taking and punishments. Nobody but her. It seemed, they all believe one thing or another that was in the paper. Severus Snape, the evil bastard of Spinner's End who had loved obsessively, compulsively once in his life.

Yes. Lily had been his obsession. Until she was dead. Then, she had been guilt. The allegory of guilt. Whenever he thought about being guilty, her face had disappeared in his mind. Not anymore. Not since the Shrieking Shack. He had wanted to give his own life for Potter's – so that he could win. And he almost had. If there hadn't been this one single potion. One single vial. Egocentric Snape, taking it. Letting him fall into a deathlike coma until the poison was out of his body again.

Severus sighed when he fingered his neck. They were still there. Damn scars. One thing that not even magic could heal. Thank God for Victorian high collars. Never would anyone see those scars. Or maybe…

There was a knock on the door and he was pulled out of his thoughts quite suddenly. He rushed to the entrance to his chambers and opened them quickly, his breathing shallow. It felt odd to be opening his door in only his black trousers and white shirt with the high collar. But he couldn't very well entertain Hermione in his full uniform, could he?

He nodded as he saw her standing there, her hair in a somewhat tamed ponytail. "Come in.", he said softly, almost a whisper.

Hermione grinned broadly. She had spent the entire time after her classes in front of her wardrobe, trying on dresses and robes and muggle clothes. And nothing seemed to fit until she decided to go for some normal, average, decent muggle slacks and a simple, grey cotton shirt. She wore her teaching robes over them. No need to give anything away. But he looked quite dashing in only the trousers and shirt – so human, really.

"'lo.", she replied and stepped into his room. "Oh!", she exclaimed, scanning the room. "I really miss the piles on the floor."

Severus growled. "Would you like something to drink before dinner?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Wine?"

"Yep. Fine.", she smiled and stepped in front of him. "I really don't know how to do this."

"Do what?", Severus asked, furrowing his brow.

"This. Us. You, me."

He smirked and pressed a quick kiss on her lips. "Like that?"

She chuckled. "Something like that, yeah."

Severus went over to a small table and poured two glasses of wine from a bottle. He stepped towards her and offered her one but she only seemed to have eyes for the books in the shelves. "You like them?", he asked, standing behind her but not touching Hermione.

"Of course.", she shivered slightly.

"Take a look then.", he encouraged her and kept both wine glasses while she went to the nearest book-shelf.

She looked through the titles, cocking her head to the side to see properly what they were called. Severus settled down in his chair, watching her admiring the books. She looked questioningly over her shoulder once but he simply nodded and she knew that she was allowed to touch and to take a closer look at those volumes – even open them. She caressed the spines of some of them, let out gasps at others and slowly pulled one special one out of the shelve.

"De potiones vulgaris?", Hermione asked, dumbstruck. She fingered the book lovingly after she had taken it from the shelf. "You have that?"

Severus snorted, but then nodded. "A gift. A long time ago."

"May I?", she asked again, her eyes widened and shining.

"Be careful with it.", he looked at her with an expression Hermione couldn't read and with careful anticipation got the book. It lay heavy in her hands. That single volume contained most potions ever known to men, some that were labelled dark these days or downright illegal. But also helpful healing potions, ancient liquids and salves that couldn't be found in any other book. She opened it cautiously.

"It's the original!", she exclaimed once again.

"I found the English translation, though even rarer than the original text lacks a few things.", Severus replied from the seat he had taken. He was quite amused to see her so excited over a book. But this was one of his most-prized possessions.

"There are about 10 in existence of the translation."

"Doesn't make it better.", he shrugged. "For instance, the instructions for Potio Teporis, a warming potion is entirely faulty. While the original text tells you three clockwise eight movements after you put in the mint leaves, the translation states you should first stir three times before adding the mint leaves. The effects are quite different."

Hermione looked at him fascinated. "What's the difference exactly?"

"With the correct movements and order you get a mild warmth spreading from your legs up. With the translation you get extreme heat in your body from the stomach.", he explained.

Hermione chuckled. "Makes sense. If you left the mint leaves without stirring they'd react too quickly with what's already in the potion, adding warmth to anything."

He nodded, almost showing his excitement. "Very good, Miss Granger."

"You never said that in class.", she grinned and ever so carefully put the book back.

"You will find that I still never say that to anyone in class. A 'correct, Mister or Miss XYZ' is as far as I go. Or maybe an adequate."

Hermione raised one eyebrow and settled next to him in another chair. "Why is that, Severus?"

"Habit, most of it. And the fact that potions can go awfully wrong when one is careless or light-headed. I want them to concentrate and pay attention constantly."

"But it backfires."

"It can, yes. And if you want to insinuate Mister Longbottom, well…"

Hermione raised both her hands "I wasn't, actually. But I find that I give encouragement from time to time, they'll do better."

"Don't you think it's a lot of encouragement if they only get a grunt or a growl from me for one potion and an adequate for the next?"

She hummed her approval somewhat. "Could be."

They fell into an easy silence, with either of them sipping on their wine for a moment.

Hermione cleared her throat and looked directly at Severus: "May I ask a question?"

"You may. I don't know if I'll answer though."

She grimaced. "Where were you all those years?"

He stared intently at her. "Have you read the Prophet?"

"I might have.", she grinned.

He rolled his eyes. "They don't even need Skeeter to write dunderheaded things."

"You still use the word.", she smiled, somewhat melancholically.

"Of course I do.", he leaned over to her. "Shall we eat?"

She smiled, and nodded and her smile only grew when he took her hand and placed it on his arm, then lead her to another little room. There were enchanted windows and while it was dark outside, she could see a few lights from Hogsmeade and candles on the beautifully decorated table. She gasped and gripped his arm tighter.

"It's beautiful."

Severus groaned. "Duffy must have gone into over-drive."

"House elf?", Hermione asked and smiled again as he helped her with her chair.

"Yes. She seems quite attached to me. Though Merlin only knows why.", he replied softly. "But…she's a good house elf.", he smirked. "And doesn't want to be freed."

"Is there anything you don't know about me?", Hermione asked, looking at him happily when she got a bit of roast lamb and potatoes on her plate, along with mushy peas and gravy. "I think that just answered my question."

"I suppose Duffy knew about your favourite foods.", Severus almost smiled again.

Hermione giggled and clinked glasses with him before she dug into the food. She had finished almost half of it before she even looked up and noticed that Severus wasn't really eating. "Sorry.", she said, "I know I shouldn't eat like that but I didn't have lunch."

"Mh.", he hummed simply. "Leave some room for dessert."

"Which is?"

"Which is your favourite dessert, Hermione?", Severus asked. "Let's see if Duffy's guess is right again.", he added quickly. "It's already prepared."

"That would be….bread and butter pudding."

Severus smirked. "We'll see then."

They ate in silence for a few more minutes, then she took his hand on the table, squeezing it gently. "You're not telling me, are you?"

"Sorry?"

"Where you were."

He nodded with his eyebrows ironically raised. "You love asking questions, don't you?"

She laughed. "I've been known for that."

He interlaced his fingers with hers. "I, uh, started here, had to spend some time here in Poppy's claws, then had to go to London,", he didn't offer anymore explanation than this but Hermione knew he was talking about the Wizengamot and the trial, "then here and there. I didn't stay anywhere for longer than four or five months. I, uh, went where I found special herbs and other things for my potions."

"You were still making potions?"

"I still do, Hermione. A leopard doesn't change its spots.", he replied and once again, she noticed that he was meaning more than he was saying.

"I don't know about that. I think some leopards do change some spots."

He caressed her knuckles with his thumb. "No."

"Want a wager?"

He made a sound that could be interpreted as a chuckle. "No."

"You won't tell but I can't help but ask", she began and laughed as he rolled his eyes, "were you working on something special?"

He nodded but didn't say more. His eyes, that had looked at her so softly and with such warmth lost a bit of that and it changed into something that Hermione couldn't understand. Regret, maybe.

"And you haven't succeeded yet?"

"Not yet, no."

"I see. I'd like to help.", she said softly.

"I know you would. But it's nothing that's of any importance."

Hermione understood that with that, this conversation was over and searched frantically for another subject. "Mh, I always liked the rumour that you were in Brazil, spending your time dancing with half-naked women.", she laughed.

"Why is that so funny?", he asked, almost offended and tried to pull his hand away from hers but she gripped it tighter. "Is it that you can rather imagine me being a Mafia killer?"

She grunted. "Of course not. It's just, the thought of you, in short and a Hawaii shirt, dancing on the street is a bit funny." Hermione couldn't help but grin. "I'm sorry, Severus. Really."

"You don't think I can dance."

She hummed, grimaced and shrugged her shoulders.

"For Merlin's sake, woman.", he pulled the wand from his trouser pocket and waved it. A second later, a sweet melody was in the air.

"How did you that?", she asked curiously.

"The question, my dear Hermione, is not how I did that but why I did that.", he drawled, pulled his hand away from hers, then hesitated for a moment where to put his wand and decided that he could safely leave it on the table. He got up and stood next to her, offering her his hand. She looked up surprised, then stood up and shrugged off her teaching robes, not knowing why she hadn't done it before.

"May I have this dance, Professor Granger?", Severus asked softly.

"It'd be my pleasure, Professor Snape.", she laughed and he lead her away from the table before he took her in his arms and began to dance. It was a slow dance and she wriggled closer soon. He was right – he could indeed dance and very well at that. He seemed very light on his feet and yet his body was so strong, she felt so protected, as if he was a shield that sheltered her from all of the outside world. She couldn't remember ever feeling so safe. She laid her head on his chest again and after a few moments, the dance wasn't a dance anymore but rather a tight hug and they were only gently rocking back and forth.

On impulse, Severus pressed a kiss on top of her head and let his fingers run through her hair before softly stroking her back. In that moment, something inside of him snapped. He couldn't remember ever feeling so himself and not himself, ever feeling so real, so true.

"Hermione?", he asked hoarsely.

"Yes?", she replied, looking up in his eyes for the umpteenth time that day.

"I'm working on a potion to minimize scars from dark magic."

Intuitively, she brought her hand up to his neck, resting it atop the collar. "I understand.", she replied, and with her other hand, directed his on a special place on her back where one could almost feel a reminder of the final battle through the material of her shirt. "I'll help if you'd let me."

He smiled at her for the second time that day. "We'll see."

She nodded understandingly and moved her hand to the back of his neck, playing with his hair. It was a tiny bit greasy. But not as bad as she had imagined it to be. "Will you kiss me now?", she asked a bit cheekily and he gladly did, leaving Hermione swooning, and wanting for more.

.

They stood, or danced, or embraced for a long time, neither wanting to let go when a small pop made them both jump apart and Severus tried to reach for his wand quickly when he remembered that he had left it on the table and cursed himself for that.

"Would you want dessert now?", a blushing Duffy asked.

Hermione, who had actually also groped for her wand and found it missing, chuckled, then shook her head. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Me neither.", he agreed. "You can go, Duffy, but if you mention anything you've seen or done here tonight to Professor McGonagall or any other teacher, you'll get clothes."

Duffy nodded quickly and popped away again, taking the dishes with him again.

"I should go.", Hermione whispered.

"I'll bring you up to your quarters.", he replied softly.

She shook her head. "No, it's alright. I assume you agree with me that this, uh, whatever it is, or will be, shouldn't be out in the open yet."

He nodded. "I completely agree.", he stepped back closer to her and brushed a tendril of hair from her forehead.

"What about the portraits?", she asked, leaning into the soft touch.

"We'll see. I'll leave mine turned around until at least tomorrow morning.", he said simply.

"I'll do the same then.", she nodded understandingly. "But your grandmother will be quite mad."

"Of course she will be.", he shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me at the moment." He bent down and kissed her passionately, letting his hands roam her back, noticing now every time he brushed over the scar. Hermione felt herself getting dizzy from the kiss again. He could really kiss. Her knees felt weak and she held tightly onto him for fear of falling down if she didn't.

He gasped for air when they finally broke the kiss. "I'm afraid I won't be able to stop if we keep on doing it.", he put his forehead against hers and breathed in her scent.

"Would that be so bad?", she whispered back, her voice low and husky.

"Yes. Yes, it would be bad.", he said, pushing her away from him slightly. "Do you want to use my floo?"

She shook her head. "No, I'll do a round or two before I turn in."

"Ever dutiful.", he mused.

She shrugged. "Some spots on some leopards never change.", she smiled. "But I did forget about quite some other spots tonight.", she added, caressing his cheek.

"Me too.", he confessed quietly.

_**.**_


	21. XX

**_The usual disclaimers apply._**

_**.**_

He would have loved to have said that it had been a sleepless night. But not even Severus could twist the truth that much. He had slept perfectly. More than perfectly with her smell still in his nose and the memory of her touches on his skin. He couldn't remember sleeping that well in quite some time. And yet, no he wouldn't have doubts. Not this time. He wouldn't make a mistake. He was rid of the guilt he felt for Lily's death – he had repaid it tenfold. He had lived alone for most of his life, flings, affairs the most he had. And yet, he knew that should he continue like he was doing, no, like they were doing, this would be a lot more serious. And it would probably be even – dare he say it? – a relationship.

And that thought scared him a bit. At least the rational part of his brain. The part that he usually listened to, the part that had helped him survive all those years. Could he let go of that? He shook his head as he bent down to tie the laces on his boots. No, he couldn't let go of that. But her company the night before – he would allow himself to fantasize for a moment. Coming home to her every night, eating with her, reading with her, talking with her, kissing her. That would be good. No, it would be more than good.

'Stop thinking.', a voice in his head told him and he, for the first time, agreed. He finished dressing and left his bedroom when the portrait of his grandmother, or rather the back of it, caught his eyes. Just before he left his quarters, he lifted his wand, and with a flick of it, the painting turned around, facing the room again.

.

Lux went to her regular morning check to see if Severus had turned the portrait around. And to her big surprise, she could finally see anything else besides the stone wall. His place was the same, even though the books were sorted into shelves and it seemed cleaner than before. She decided to take a chance and hurried to Hermione's chambers. Coincidentally, she could see the room again as well. But other than clothes strewn across the floor, it was empty. Odd, that. Severus' rooms clean and Hermione's littered with clothes. Her eyes widened. Maybe, just maybe, those two things were connected. She bit her lip in the portrait and went to see Albus. He should know what was going on. Or maybe not. And maybe Minerva was there and could go and look for them – simply, plain excessive point-taking from all Houses meant that either nothing had happened or that whatever had happened couldn't possibly have been good. She gathered her skirts in her hands and quickly rushed to Albus' portrait.

"Minerva?", she shouted from the portrait of Armando Dippet who by now was used to her interruption and who remembered her from her own school days. He simply nodded his head in acceptance, then grunted and closed his eyes again. Too early in the day to be awake anyway.

"Lux?", Minerva asked, coming from her private quarters.

"Morning. They turned the portraits around.", she breathed.

"Both of them?"

Lux nodded and fixed her hair again that had come undone on the way. "His room was very tidy and hers, well, not so tidy but only clothes were lying around. "

Minerva raised a suggestive eyebrow at Albus' portrait and straightened her robes. "I'll go and see.", she replied and took off.

"And if that it was a false alarm and nothing happened…", Albus began.

"Yes?", Minerva looked over her shoulder.

"You might want to talk to Sybill.", he winked and popped a sherbet lemon in his mouth, offering one to Lux who declined.

.

Hermione couldn't remember ever feeling so elated, especially early in the mornings. But no matter what happened, somehow she knew that she would see him today again. If he wasn't at breakfast, she would go to his office – officially of course. In her capacity as Deputy Head. She could think of one pretext or another. She wasn't sure how this came about, how she had allowed to feel something for her former potions instructor. And she wasn't completely sure when it had happened – after the prophecy, probably. Or even a bit before. There was no denying that she had tried to contact him numerous times to thank him for saving their lives on more than one occasion. But the owl she sent always returned with her own letter attached to its leg. And a phantasm had grown in her mind – the strong, noble, proud, valiant man and not the evil bat. And when he had come, that entire build up of phantasms had fallen like a house of cards and he was back to being the git. Not quite though. And maybe that had been when. Or maybe when he had allowed her to yell at him, somehow. Maybe then.

But was it important? She shook her head slightly as she walked into the Great Hall, somehow hoping that he would be there. She was early enough but there was nobody inside. Not even one of the ghosts. She was completely alone and made her way to the Head Table and the Prophet, already waiting for her there. Piece of filth, full of stories of Ron and Harry. But better than to read nothing.

She sat down, tapped the table and smiled at her morning tea and toast. She added a little milk to the tea and drank it greedily before she opened the Daily Prophet and groaned at the headline.

_Caster of the balding jinx revealed!_

Rolling her eyes, she kept on reading.

_Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, in an interview with Lisa Gomez yesterday, explained that the balding jinx thrown at them three weeks ago in Diagon Alley was indeed cast by infamous Severus Snape. According to Mister Potter and Mister Weasley, there is nothing to reverse the spell. _

_Mister Weasley also revealed during the interview that Snape is indeed back at Hogwarts and currently has the position of Defence against the Dark Arts. But more interestingly, he is now romantically linked with Hermione Granger, teacher of Transfiguration at Hogwarts. _

_"We don't understand how 'Mione could have started something with Snape.", Mister Weasley is quoted. _

Hermione clenched her jaw and ripped the page out of the paper and crumbled it before she cast a simple Incendio on it and watched with glee as this piece of filth turned into ashes. She poked at it with her wand, then her finger and rubbed it all over the surface of the tip of her index finger.

She didn't notice Severus walking up to her from the back until she felt hot breath against her cheek. "And what caused your temper to flare this morning?", Severus asked in his velvety smooth voice.

"Good morning.", she looked at him when he took the seat next to her. "We made the front page.", she said gloomily.

"What do you mean?", he scowled.

She drew her wand and summoned a paper from some seats away before she said anything else.

Severus read quietly, his scowl growing.

_Hermione Granger, after having broken the heart of not only Harry Potter and the former Quidditch star and current coach of the Albanian National Team, but also of Ronald Weasley seems to have set her heart yet again on another war hero. Severus Snape, Merlin First Class came out of hiding only a few weeks ago, after five years of disappearing only weeks earlier and we at the Daily Prophet sincerely hope that he is not yet another in the long line of men that were bewitched and left by Miss Granger._

He drew his wand and repeated Hermione's action from earlier, setting fire to the paper. He turned slowly and looked at her. She seemed so incredibly young and hurt at the moment and he knew that this was what the prophecy was all about. Her hands played restlessly with the ashes on the table and without even looking around to see who was there, he stilled it by placing his own, larger hand on hers.

"Nobody believes this pile of dung anyway.", he tried to soothe.

She pulled her hand away and kept wringing them in her lap. "But…"

"No buts.", he said quietly. "Hermione, nobody will believe it. The brilliant third of the Golden Trio and the former Death Eater? Even the most gullible wizards won't believe that."

She looked at him, her cheeks reddened. "Why should it be so unbelievable?"

He groaned. "It's obvious, is it not?"

"No. And what if I want them to believe it?", she exclaimed, completely forgetting where she was.

"Hermione…", he whispered but completely forgot what he wanted to say when she looked at him, eyes getting misty.

She bit her lip and took his hand that was on the table. "I'll kill them both."

"You will do no such thing. They got their punishment.", he gripped her hand tighter.

"But…"

"Hermione…"

"No, Severus. They talked to a reporter from the Daily Prophet. They were talking about you and me when we decided not to tell anyone anything, not even your grandmother. They betrayed me. And hell, those two will be believed. If nobody believes anyone anything, but Harry and Ron, they'd believe that the sky is bloody green. The saviour of the wizarding world and his most faithful sidekick, without whom Voldemort could have never brought down? Because obviously I had no other part in it then to distract Harry and Ron by breaking their poor little hearts. Apparently it would have even gone faster if it hadn't been for me.", she ranted, blushing even more, "Voldemort could have gone much sooner if I hadn't distracted them. Apparently I'm just the pretty face. Without the pretty face."

"Hermione!", Severus said sharply. "Stop it."

"But…"

"No, stop it. They're dunderheads. And I've told you before that they do not deserve you and that without your help, everything would have gone differently. Without you, the brat-who-lived wouldn't have lived. And those would be different times. You with your nose in the books all the time helped him more than he will ever know and realize.", Severus looked around quickly and scanned the Great Hall but nobody was there. He leaned slightly forward and put his hand on her thigh, rubbing small circles with his thumb. "Don't doubt that for a moment."

"But you, Severus. They're attacking you as well."

"Remember the samba-dancers in Rio? I might be able to dance but I'm afraid you'll never see me in shorts and a Hawaii shirt."

Hermione grimaced, then smiled. "You're probably right.", she followed his suit and scanned the room and when there was still nobody around, he leant even further towards him and dropped a quick kiss on his lips. "Thank you."

He nodded quickly. "I found a Transfiguration book you might find interesting."

"After dinner?", she whispered.

He quirked his lips just a tad. "I'll be looking forward to it.", he replied, never taking his hands of her thigh.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and in stormed Minerva McGonagall. Even if Lux hadn't said anything she would have known that something had changed.

The evidence was the following.

One: they were sitting quite close and if Minerva's eyesight hadn't deteriorated within the last 12 hours, their arms were touching.

Two: They were talking. And it didn't look like they were fighting.

Three: Neither Hermione nor Severus looked appalled but rather looked into one another's face with a strange expression.

Four: Hermione smiled. And she hadn't smiled in weeks.

Five: They were both sitting together in the Great Hall for breakfast without anyone else around.

She knitted her eyebrows together and walked briskly to the front.

"Good morning!", she exclaimed cheerfully and decided to plunge straight in. "Lux said that she's very happy to being able to see the rooms again."

Severus, grunted in acknowledgement and quickly pulled his hand away from Hermione.

"Morning, Minerva.", Hermione smiled. "I'm glad Misses Prince is happy."

Severus sipped the last of his tea and, nodding his head towards Minerva and Hermione, he stood up. "Headmistress. Professor Granger.", he said simply and, his robes billowing again, he walked away. Hermione didn't notice she was staring at his behind with a dreamy expression on her face until Minerva coughed.

"Are you alright, dear?", she asked softly.

Hermione blushed and stood up as well. "I've got classes to prepare.", she looked at the older woman. "There's a grain of truth in almost everything.", she added cryptically and followed Severus out of the Great Hall.

.

The Daily Prophet in her hand, having paled and blushed multiple times while reading the front page and following article, Headmistress Minerva McGonagall rushed into her office and wondered how so much actually could happen before the pupils were even up.

"They've done it. Somehow. I mean…I don't know about that but…", Minerva breathed heavily and waved the paper in front of the portrait.

"Slow, kitten.", Albus tried to calm Minerva but patted Lux' arm absently. "Who's done what?"

"Severus and Hermione. According to this.", she lifted the paper and waved it again, "they are, and I quote, romantically linked. And Hermione said that there's a grain of truth in almost everything."

"But how…?", Lux asked and Minerva explained as far as she could, reading the article as well.

"So you think", Albus began, "that when Harry and Mister Weasley were here yesterday that something happened between them?"

"And neither was at dinner.", Minerva smirked.

Lux sighed contentedly. "Very good.", she said softly and winking at Albus and Minerva, she left the portrait for her own.

.

"Professor Snape?", Hermione knocked on the wall where she suspected his private quarters to be. He wasn't in his office and so she suspected that he might be back there.

A door disappeared and she recognized it from the evening before. She smiled and pushed it open.

"Come in.", his deep voice drawled and she found him standing in front of the bookshelf. "How did you find me?", he asked, looking at her.

She smiled and stepped closer. "I was looking for you in your office because Minerva was just snatching a Prophet.", she fibbed.

Severus nodded. "And with the portraits turned around…", he sounded resigned.

"I'm sorry. If I'd've known you turned yours around, I'd've waited.", she shrugged her shoulders.

Severus sighed dramatically. "Hermione, I've been thinking…"

_._


	22. XXI

**_The usual disclaimers apply. _**

_**.**_

Hermione cast a fearful glance at Severus. In a second, he would tell her that he would be leaving Hogwarts, killing every rumour about them. In a second, all that had been good since yesterday would be gone. And she would simply be alone again.

He sighed again and stepped immediately closer. Her every emotion mirrored in her face and she was so insecure at this moment. He shot her a smile, then wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I've been thinking about this, about the paper, about Minerva and my grandmother and everything.", he whispered against her hair.

"Yes?", she asked, still slightly scared, not daring to really hug him back.

"I think it might be difficult keeping it from them, meaning Minerva and Lux and by association Albus."

"This?", Hermione asked, looking up.

"Yes, this. You and me and all that."

"What does that mean?"

"In all my years at Hogwarts, and I do mean all of them, ever since I was 11 years old – there were two females in my rooms, no wait, let me correct that, three if you count my years here as a student because Amadeus Livingston had this girlfriend who would sleep in our dorm. I can't even remember her name but that makes her the third female in my rooms. The other is Minerva."

"And who else?"

Severus once again sighed dramatically. "Sometimes you are the thickest witch of your age, know-it-all."

"Oh.", she replied understandingly. "And what are you telling me?"

"I wouldn't have invited you here if uh, this", he pointed at him, then at her, "uh, wasn't anything…", he stopped suddenly. How could he say such a thing.

"Yes?", Hermione asked after a moment.

Severus rolled his eyes and inhaled deeply. "This, Hermione, it's…"

"Yes?"

He pulled her flush against himself and his lips were pressed against her temple for a moment before he spoke again. "Do I have to say it?"

"Oh.", Hermione said again and understood. He was telling her that it was something serious. And that after their first date. She hadn't expected it but of course with the Daily Prophet and everything, things had changed. She looked up in his dark eyes again and smiled tenderly. "No, of course you don't have to say it."

He breathed deeply and smiled back at her.

.

Lux listened raptly. That coming from Severus was as good as hearing everyone else say an I love you. As good as that. That boy was as closed up as a clam when it came to telling someone his feelings. He had always been like that, the spitting image – when it came to that – of his mother. Nothing more and nothing less. Eileen though hated physical contact as well and here was her little Severus clutching the lovely girl tightly to him. Her Severus was certainly not afraid to be touched by her, especially as she now traced his lips with the tip of her index finger, then his jaw and his eyebrows, back to the lips. They weren't speaking, but they were communicating, so it looked like from a distance, with their eyes. And Severus' eyes, as far as she could see from where she was standing, where more expressive than ever. Well, not ever, but since he had been a boy. And he gazed so tenderly at her, caressed her cheek and neck and Lux really was tempted to just call out to them to finally kiss but she clapped her hand over her mouth just in time. It wasn't like her – usually – to disturb such a romantic thing.

"I should go to class.", Lux heard Hermione mutter.

"It's always something.", Severus replied, brushing some hair from her forehead.

"Well, it's why we are here, Severus. We teach, we have classes., we…", Lux clamped the hand tighter over her mouth when she saw her grandson silencing Hermione by pressing his lips against her and kissing her. It was the type of kiss that Lux had never seen only just experienced with Quintus, tongues clashing, tongues on lips, on teeth, teeth on lips. And once more, Lux couldn't help but gasp inwardly at the way Severus held her so possessively. There wasn't a single doubt in the portrait's mind that this thing was real and true and eternal. They were perfect and they had done the right thing.

She hid a bit behind her frame when the two pulled apart. "Don't take too many points, Severus.", she whispered against his mouth.

"Look who's talking.", he chuckled and then added, as if it were an afterthought, "take care of yourself, know-it-all."

She laughed. Somehow that nickname he had given her didn't seem insulting anymore. Not the way he said it, all silkily, seductively and she really couldn't wait until that night when she could finally spend some more time with him. Maybe spent the night with him. "You too.", she answered, gave him a peck on the lips and left his embrace and his rooms.

Severus cleared his throat, straightened his robes and stood straight. "You can come out now, Grandma Lux.", he drawled. "Or better yet, go to Minerva and Albus straight away. Better get it over with."

.

"It worked! Albus, it worked!", Lux almost jumped up and down from joy and Albus grinned, popping another lemon drop in his mouth.

"And troubles melt like lemon drops.", he said in a sing-song voice.

"What does that mean?", Minerva asked, coming back into her office – having been held up by two students on her way there.

"They finally got it together.", Lux grinned.

Minerva clapped her hands in excitement. "Sybill won't need the voice altering potion anymore then?"

Albus laughed heartily, pulling Lux into a hug, not noticing the sad look that flashed across Minerva's face for a moment. "No, tell her she can make it vanish. Seems the two most level-headed, reasonable, Divination-suspicious children in this school have believed it after all.", he said happily.

"But you won't tell them, will you?", Lux asked Minerva quickly.

"Tell them what?", Minerva winked, walked back to her desk and started working on some papers for the ministry, trying to ignore Albus' incessant humming and Lux' occasional giggle.

.

The next two weeks were very hard on Severus. Every night, she would come to his rooms, or he – once or twice – to hers. And every night, they grew closer, even though they tried to keep their distance during the day. Once in a while, her hand would wander to his thigh during a meal, or his to hers but only when they were sure nobody was watching. The article in the Prophet had the exact effect that Severus had predicted. Nobody, apart from Minerva and the portraits had believed it. No student, no teacher. Only Fiesco was a bit stunned that after a two-week resting period, Snape was back to observing his class. In the worst possible way of course. They had gone easier on the pupils though and it seemed after the first few days where there was only a little point-taking from both Professor Snape and Professor Granger, and there was a general sigh of relief as the hourglasses slowly filled with gems again. It was just before Christmas after all.

But that wasn't why those weeks were hard on the Defence against the Dark Arts instructor. No, it was the fact that her kisses tasted so wonderful, that her body was so soft and fit to well to his own when they embraced, or, occasionally even danced. It was the fact that he knew she was innocent when it came to the more carnal side of a, well, relationship and that he didn't have any experience on bedding virgins at all. But nevertheless, he wanted more and from the way she sometimes ground against him, she wasn't that opposed to the idea herself but no. It was too soon for that.

They had talked, they had bantered, they had kissed, they had danced, they had embraced, once or twice they had even snuggled up together. Once he had read to her and Hermione felt it getting harder every day. Not being around him but his constant honourable, noble attitude. He wouldn't even touch her anywhere inappropriate and Hermione wasn't sure what to make of it. She didn't doubt for a moment that he wanted her as much as she wanted him – the physical proof was there every so often. Well, more often than not but he never acted on it, not even when she gave heavy-handed hints. Not even when she rubbed herself against him. Nothing could change his mind.

And with Christmas approaching and most of the pupils gone, they had decided to spend a bit more time together as well, probably even sitting in one office together grading (and Hermione thought this very romantic. And Severus feared it would be very distracting) and that would be even harder for her. But no, he had set his mind on waiting. Only Hermione wasn't sure how long she could stand that waiting. It was frustrating to say the least and while she knew how to relieve herself, it didn't help much either. Five minutes after, her thoughts would return to him and there she was, hot and bothered once more. She wondered how he could stand it.

He couldn't in fact. He had spent more time in the icy cold shower during those two weeks before Christmas then ever before, even when he had been a teenager. What that woman was doing to him was something he couldn't rationally understand. And yet, at nights when he couldn't sleep and sat talking with his grandmother, he somehow understood nevertheless. How had he not seen it before, way before? How had he failed to notice, he who never failed to notice anything, that she was the perfect woman for him? Smart, brilliant, interested in the same subjects, eloquent, with a mind of her own and a body so delectable that he knew he would burst sooner or later if he wasn't allowed, or rather if he didn't allow himself, to touch her soon.

Minerva's smirk whenever she saw either of them didn't help matters. And Lux' knowing grin neither. But there they were in an almost empty school, together in his rooms on Christmas Eve.

Hermione had given a potential present for him a lot of thought. At first, and often enough, she had just toyed with the idea of putting a bow on her head and coming to him wearing nothing but that bow. But Severus wouldn't understand that. She had, somewhat, come to comprehend the man behind the mask. He could be quite moody, he had tempers but he tried to control them when he was with her. It was fun to watch in a way. Just a couple of days prior, a day or two before the students had gone home, she had to hide in his office after coming to see him. There were two Slytherin Newt students who had come to Severus for help in potions. He had been sweetness personified with her – almost – but as soon as the students entered – and Hermione safely disillusioned and behind a curtain, he had snapped, he had called them dunderheads, he had told them to go and ask Fiesco before he gruntingly explained to them, why they were having trouble brewing that particular potion and what they could do to remedy that (lowering the fire underneath the cauldron and using a bronze one instead of the usual pewter). Then, after they had left, he had pulled her on his lap, had freed her hair from its confinement in the bun and had played with a lock while talking to her about that potion in a normal voice, not snappy but calm und clear and precise. Two hours later at dinner, he had again snapped at her for thinking she was a know-it-all (and that, just because she knew the name of all the Transfiguration Masters and Mistresses at the school since the beginning). He had noticed the rather nice blush on her cheeks when he called her that – his special pet name for her – while all other teachers were there but he didn't seem to care at all. Another hour later, she was back in his arms and they were kissing furiously.

Severus Snape – as she understood now – was certainly a man who acted a lot. She only hoped that he wasn't acting with her. But the look in his dark, chocolaty eyes told her that he wasn't lying to her, that he was simply being himself with her as much as he could after all those years of not being allowed to being simply Severus. At least that was Lux' opinion.

Hermione had come to rely on Lux heavily for advice on Severus. Not that she spoke to her behind his back – only a bit, really – but there were times when he looked so tired, so worn and once, only once, he had sat her down on the couch and had settled down next to her before he had let himself fall – his head in her lap. And Hermione had expected anything from him, but not showing some form of weakness, some want for physical closeness, and the consolation or comfort or whatever it was that he got from it. Hermione didn't understand this and Lux gave hints. Only hints because she truly felt that Severus should tell her most of the things himself.

He did talk to her some, never of Nagini, never of the night in the Shrieking Shack, never of his Death Eater days, never of Lily Potter. Sometimes of his childhood, sometimes of the times as a spy before he had been forced to kill Dumbledore. Never of that. A bit about his schooldays and his friendship to Minerva, the mother figure in his life.

Hermione understood that and accepted it. He would open up eventually, she knew. She talked more, in fact, at least about personal things. About her apprenticeship, about her time at Hogwarts, about how the friendship with Ron and Harry had come to where it was. She talked and he listened. And he understood. He understood how she had come to be the person who she was. How she had been alone most of her life and how the friendship with the dunderheaded duo had given her such joy, such pleasure because she hadn't known true friendship. He listened to her doubts that theirs had not been a mutual friendship where there were equal parts of giving and taking and Severus only nodded before he then, always when she had that sad, faraway look in her eyes, gathered her in his arms and kissed her – silently promising her that this was not the case with him. That he gave as much as he took.

And yet – both knew that for full trust one thing was missing.

_**.**_


	23. XXII

**_The usual disclaimers apply_**

_**.**_

He looked at her, sated from the rich food at the Christmas Eve dinner in the Great Hall – where once again, he had caressed her thigh and knee while she was eating – as she sat opposite him, her shoes somewhere on the floor, her feet tucked underneath herself, her face in her hand. She was lovely like that, in her simply clothes and with her hair open, her features glowing from the fire burning. He sighed contentedly and wondered, not for the first time, if he had ever sighed so much before in his life. Probably not.

"Severus?", she asked, breaking the silence as both were sitting with glasses of wine in their hands, musing about several things.

"Yes?", he asked back.

"Is everything alright?"

'No, not quite. Is it, Severus?', the voice in his head said snarkily. 'You have no idea whether she will like your present, you have no idea when she'll be ready, you don't want to hurt her and what's worse, you care so much about her that you're already admitting to me that you might have fallen in love with her.'

"Everything's fine, know-it-all.", he smiled and effectively shut the voice in his head.

"Good.", she sighed and carefully untangled her legs. She placed the glass of wine on the table and moved over to where he was sitting. "May I?", she asked as she was standing right in front of him.

He smiled – he had never smiled that much in his life – and opened his arms. She settled on his lap, her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "Severus?", she asked again, softer this time.

"Mh?"

"I wasn't sure what to get you for Christmas.", she confessed quietly.

"I don't need a gift.", he replied, carding his fingers in her hair. 'Because she's gift enough for you, isn't she? A gift you never deserved.', the voice in his head added but Severus only rolled his eyes.

"I know you don't _need_ a gift.", she sighed. "But I got something for you and I'm not sure whether you'll like it."

"I'm sure whatever you'll give me I'll like.", he replied, internally lifting a finger to prevent the voice from speaking.

Hermione groaned. "I know that too but…"

"Do you want to exchange presents now, know-it-all?", he asked, dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Would you mind?"

He nodded and slowly pushed her off his lap. "Let's do it now." Severus walked to a cabinet and pulled a square box out of it. He had wrapped it himself so it wasn't perfect but there had been no way he could have let even Duffy, the very soul of discretion, see what was inside. No jewellery – though he had been tempted. No book – though he had been tempted. He walked back to the chair just in time for Hermione to come back with what looked like a rather large, wrapped book. Of course she would get him a book. What else? Everyone gave him books. Except Albus. He had always given him socks. And Minerva. Who always found just the perfect scarf, or mittens or gloves. Typical mother-figure at that. He didn't allow his face to fall however. He sat down while she accioed a chair closer, holding her gift tightly in her lap.

"Me first?", she asked meekly.

"No. Let me, please.", he replied and waited until she had sat her gift carefully on the floor before he gave her his. "Happy Christmas, Hermione.", he smiled a little insecurely.

"Happy Christmas, Severus.", she whispered hoarsely and then, like a child, pulled the wrapping paper away, the bow that had taken Severus an hour to put perfectly around the gift lay somewhere on the ground. "Oh my God.", she exclaimed. "I don't…I don't understand."

"That", he began, afraid his voice would crack and she wouldn't understand why he had given all this to her in the first place, "is a special cauldron. It's, uh, silver. You need it for a few potions that are not common. And that's a golden dagger, you need it for harvesting special plants and herbs."

Hermione nodded slowly, comprehension dawning on her. "I…"

"No, let me finish. Otherwise I'll never get it out.", he swallowed. "I've been trying cauldrons for the potion. Not this one. Not a silver one yet. What I want to say with this gift, Hermione", he leant a bit closer to her, "I'd very much like your help with this project. I have a feeling, and I never really relied on my feelings, but, I have a feeling that together, we could make it."

Hermione gasped, put the cauldron and dagger carefully on the floor and lunged into his arms. She showered him with little kisses all over his face. "Thank you, thank you so much!", she gushed.

Severus laughed. Not a chuckle, not a snorting sound, he actually laughed in her hair, holding her tightly to him.

It took them several minutes to break apart and Hermione now felt even more nervous about her gift. She cleared her throat and picked the gift up from the floor.

"Great minds, Severus…", she said gently as she gave him the present.

He quirked and eyebrow and looked quizzically at her but she only nudged her head forwards. "Open it."

Severus breathed deeply and with almost trembling fingers unwrapped it slowly. It wasn't a book. It was too high, too broad for it. And too heavy. Hermione bit her lip in anticipation. Her feet in the warm, woollen socks were nervously tapping on the floor.

"Hermione, that's a…"

"Yes.", she smiled timidly. "It's an oval copper cauldron. I, uh, I read your copy of De Potiones Vulgaris. They state that an oval cauldron can make the difference with a potion, especially really tough ones to make, like Felix Felicis and they say…"

"That the copper, while not good with potions that require high temperatures, makes the others more potent.", he finished her thought and looked at her with an intensity that she had never seen in his eyes before. "But they don't make oval cauldrons anymore."

She chuckled. "There is an upside to being the former pretty face in Harry Potter's little trio.", she smiled. "And a bit of cleavage helped me with Cardinger. He made it.", she shrugged.

"Cardinger, but he's…", he stumbled over his own words.

"Retired. Officially. Yeah.", she smiled again. "It wasn't easy but, well, he gave in. Actually", she added almost pensively, "he only wanted to know what I wanted to use it for. And I simply said that I had read it can make my hair manageable. Can you believe that people think I'm so stupid?"

"It's….oh Merlin, oh Hermione.", he swallowed hard. An oval copper cauldron. Nobody had seen one in the Wizarding World for centuries. They were more of a legend really. "You what?", he asked, his brain now registering her words.

"He asked me what I wanted it for.", she laughed. "And somehow, I don't know why, but I had the feeling, that he only knew about me from the Prophet and let's be honest, my role in the war, well, it was seducing Krum and hurting Harry, then hurting Harry and seducing Ron, or the other way around, and then you. So…I went there and told him that sleekeazy wasn't working for me but that I had read an ancient recipe for a hair-tamer but that it required an oval copper cauldron. And there you are.", she grinned broadly at him.

"I can't believe that.", he set the cauldron cautiously on the table and then kneeled on the floor in front of her. "Hermione – I don't know how I can thank you for that.", his voice was very emotional, almost cracking.

"You don't have to.", she smiled and took his face in her hands. "You gave me the best gift."

"It's just…"

"It's the best gift.", she interrupted and bent forwards to kiss him but only inches from his lips, she stopped. "Actually, there is a way you can thank me.", she whispered slyly.

"Yes?"

She bent further down and her mouth was close to his ear. "Take me to bed, Severus."

"Hermione…"

"Please. Take me to bed.", she repeated before she kissed him passionately.

.

An hour later, maybe two, maybe three, maybe a lifetime later or only a second, Severus lay on Hermione's bare stomach, their legs entangled. She had a strangely content smile on her lips and she knew that this had been the best Christmas in her life. She had suspected it to hurt but oddly enough, there was nothing. It could have something to do with the fact that he had taken his sweet time with her. Torturous, pleasurable, marvellous, magnificent time when he had kissed every single inch of her body, every square millimetre he had paid attention to but the fact alone that she was feeling him skin on skin was enough to let her rise to new pleasurable heights. And now this. She had never taken Severus to be the cuddle-up type afterwards (she had spent, after all 6 long years with Lavender and Parvati in one room) but there he was, head on her stomach, tracing invisible lines, making her shiver. And he allowed her to play idly with his hair.

He had never understood the term making love. Severus had always damned it as a rather muggle, hippie term. But there he was and that act just there, just now, he couldn't describe it with any other expression. He understood – finally. He had allowed himself to fall completely, to be so detached from the world that only the two of them existed.

Severus kissed her stomach, then tilted his head up. "I want something to drink. You too?"

Hermione nodded and smiled. "Yes, please."

He scrambled up from the bed, pulled on his black silk boxer shirts before he bent down and kissed her lovingly. "I'll be back in a moment. Don't move."

"I wouldn't dream of it.", she smiled and snuggled deeper into the covers and watched him walk out of his bedroom, closing the door carefully. The room was so like Severus and then again not at all. The mattress was rather hard, she noticed just now, that was like him, but the embroidered, white, cotton bedclothes were not at all like him. The walls were stony, he hadn't put anything over them, no pictures, nothing. The furniture simple. A dresser, a sideboard, a nightstand. The bed was lovely. A large, four-poster bed, dark wood. She stretched, then settled back into his soft pillow.

Severus smiled to himself happily when he went to get two glasses of sparkling water.

"Severus?", his grandmother asked softly and he was surprised seeing her there. He had, in the last few hours almost forgotten about the portrait. No, he had forgotten about it, especially since she had kept quiet during their time alone in his sitting room.

"Yes, Grandma Lux?", he remained standing before it, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"I'm proud of you, my boy.", she whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek. "Don't let her go."

Severus smiled at his grandmother. "I won't, grandma, I won't. I promise."

"That's my good boy. I'll leave you two to it then."

"Thank you.", he said hoarsely.

"You're welcome, sweetheart.", she wiped the tear off her face and walked slowly from the portrait into another one.

Sweetheart. He hadn't been called that in 30 years and there wasn't a woman in the whole world, except her who was allowed to do it. He smiled again and got the water before he walked back to his backroom.

She almost seemed to be asleep. Her eyes were drooping and her movements were slow. He helped her sit up a bit and she drank greedily, then he took the glass again, and put both on his nightstand.

"Severus, I…"

"Shh, Hermione. Sleep.", he whispered as he got into bed behind her and wrapped his arm around her, his hand resting on her stomach while she used his other arm as a pillow.

"Good night.", she mumbled sleepily and Severus dropped a kiss on her brow before he pulled her even closer, spooning up to him.

Her breathing grew even quickly and her head heavier on his arm but he didn't even think about moving her. This was truly where she belonged. Where he belonged. He sniffed her hair and after a few moments, he looked up and into her face. She seemed so peaceful when she was asleep, and she was surely sleeping.

"Hermione, my little know-it-all", he whispered very softly, "I've fallen in love with you."

Hermione cracked one eye open and smiled.

_**.**_


	24. Hogwarts: A History

**Bagshot, Belinda et al.,: Hogwarts: A History. 251st ed. Hogsmeade: 2187, pp. 767-68:**

The most famous couple in the 21st century in the Wizarding World was Severus Snape and Hermione Snape. Not only were both heavily involved in the fall of the dark Lord Voldemort (1) but they were also the first married couple in the history of the school who ran the school conjointly, and the children had both a Headmaster and a Headmistress at the time. Their love affair made history by itself (2) and sources say that Severus Snape, after returning from a five year absence from the Wizarding World returned to the school to teach Defence against the Dark Arts and met the then Transfiguration Mistress, and Deputy Headmistress Hermione Granger, a former pupil of his.

It seems that their courtship has not sailed smoothly. School records state that both of them together took 2860 points from all four Houses during two weeks, and gave 78 pupils 92 detentions. This is the highest number of lost points in two consecutive weeks ever.

While Master Snape only held the Defence Position for one term and then returned to teaching potions has he had done since the first War against Voldemort, Hermione Snape taught Transfiguration until she was appointed Headmistress together with her husband in 2019 after the retirement of Minerva McGonagall (3).

They made a few significant changes to the school, the most notable being the incorporation of an elementary school for wizarding children and a preparation class for muggle-borns, as well as a summer programme for those pupils who could or would not be able to go home to their families during the summer and a special programme for abused children of half-blood heritages.

In addition, Severus and Hermione Snape invented the Scar-Reducing Solution, which minimizes scars obtained from Dark Curses, Hexes and Jinxes together, improved Wolfsbane and made a significant contribution to the breeding of Incrucipalm by Neville Longbottom (4), a plant that, eaten decreases the effects of the Cruciatus Curse.

Severus and Hermione Snape left the school together in 2085 and it is said that they have lived at said undisclosed location until the end of their lives in 2107 and 2108 respectively.

* * *

(1) For further reference see: Bagshot, Belinda: The Fall of Lord Voldemort. Hogsmeade: 2171 or

Malfoy-Potter, James: Harry Potter and the Dark Lord. London: 2031

(2) Gomez, Lisa: Severus and Hermione: In Love and War and Potions. London: 2009

(3) For further information about Minerva McGonagall see: this volume pp 765-67 and

Filch, Aurora: Minerva McGonagall. Oxford: 2029

MacDuncan, Rory: Lemon and Ginger: The Story of Minerva and Albus. Edinburgh: 2010

(4) Abbott, Sarah: The Incrucipalm. Hogsmeade: 2040

_**.**_

**_The usual disclaimers apply.  
_**

**_This story has been a fun ride. It felt easy to write, it felt good and right. I'm sorry about some grammatical and spelling mistakes - but yep, I am no native speaker of English. I will probably at one point or another go back and correct those mistakes but the story of Severus, Hermione, Grandma Lux, Minerva won't let me go. And I guess you neither. There will be a sequel up soon (check for it today or tomorrow...you should know my updating habits by now ;))!_**

**_I want to thank all of you who took the time to read and review this little tale of mine. I absolutely loved every single bit of feedback I got. It means a lot to me!_**

**_Thanks also to my beta and friend Nicks, who spent long times with me discussing this story. _**

**_Thank you all so much for this amazing reaction to my first HG/SS fic and I hope I'll be here to stay!_**

**_Love to you all,_**

**_ Bee_**


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